How Not to Do a One Night Stand
by Golden28
Summary: Bucky needed to get laid- even Steve thought so. But when his friends set him up for a one night stand, will it remain that simple? Darcy needs a one night stand to break her out of her shell, and she's determined to keep it just that- a one night stand. They can't both get their way... but love's a game two can play and both win.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Marvel, Captain America or Thor.**

* * *

Chapter 1

Bucky resisted the urge to snarl at someone and settled for slamming back the rest of his whiskey. What was he even doing here?

Damn Tony for setting him up. He'd thought his friends would admire his restraint when he'd lost interest in charming the fairer half of the population. Instead Steve was worried about him, and even Bruce had commented on his behavior. Tony had provided a logical solution to his problems: one night stand. What could Bucky say when propositioned like that in front of his teammates? He'd even gone so far as to pick the girl, the place and the time so Bucky couldn't "screw it all up." Even Steve had gone along with it. Son of a gun, what was wrong with him, agreeing to this hare brained idea? He'd hardly looked at women since coming out of his Soviet induced mind control. The only one that had caught his eye had been Jane Foster's perky little lab assistant. Now there, he thought was a sexy little package. She was all curves and sass, topped with silky long hair. He'd always loved brunettes. It was a pity he couldn't have her; wouldn't let himself have her- it was the same thing. Besides being much younger than him physically and chronologically, he was too broken for her. She deserved more than him, so he didn't let himself think about her.

His phone buzzed on the counter. _You ready for the night of your life? _It was from Tony. Unease pricked at the back of Bucky's mind but he ignored it. _I place myself at your mercy._ He texted back. _Funny. Leave the bar and head towards the back room. She's having a drink at the corner booth. Have fun, kids! _

Screw Tony. He could leave now and be no worse for wear. Tony had explained to him that the girl he was meeting had been abducted a few years back and this evening was supposed to be a confidence booster to get her back into the dating pool. It had been hinted that she'd been traumatized in a sexual way. He admired the girl's courage but didn't really think he was the right man for the job, considering his past. What the heck. If he just met her he'd be no worse for wear either. He got up from the bar, dropping cash on the counter to cover his tab. He'd come all this way and it didn't make sense to turn around now, especially when he'd have to face Tony and Steve.

He turned down the hall, towards the room Tony had mentioned, a more private area of the bar away from the club's dance floor. The new music grated on his nerves; some pounding techno beat that made him want to bang his head on a wall. Determinedly he ignored the irritation and stepped into the quieter back room, scanning for the corner booth. Almost immediately he spotted her. Tony, he thought had been right about one thing. She was totally his type. A short blue dress emphasized her hourglass shape and ivory skin. Lust hit him low and sharp in the groin. That kind of figure always made his pulse kick up a notch. These women today were crazy, emaciating themselves into rail thin forms, but to the disappointment of his libido, it was a popular practice. No sharp edges on this one he thought, eyeing the curve of her breasts. She was looking down at her drink and her face was hidden by thick brown hair that he could already imagine using to hold her still as she shuddered underneath him. Then, as if she'd sensed him gaze, her head snapped up. A colorful curse word reverberated through Bucky's mind. It was Jane Foster's perky lab assistant. Well, it looked like tonight was going to be interesting after all. Suddenly Bucky was very glad he'd come.

* * *

Darcy was three seconds away from running. Flying out the door and going back to her apartment to curl up with the remote. She checked her watch and saw that the man she was meeting was three minutes late. Maybe he wasn't coming. Good, she could leave without feeling guilty, knowing that they'd both come to their senses. How had Tony gotten her to do this? Her stalker of an ex-boyfriend had all but ruined her for sex after kidnapping her at Culver University her freshman year. This was a mistake. She should accept her lot as being frigid and go home. Two more minutes, just so she could tell Tony she'd made an attempt. He knew about her past, being the curious no-boundaries sort of friend, but knowing hadn't made him look at her differently. Instead he'd prodded her into this one night stand with what he'd termed a "really nice guy, with only a few rough edges". She hoped he'd sent her an accountant who was her height and didn't have an intimidating bone in his body. In her mind she added a few pounds to the accountant and made his hair a little thinning, placing him in his mid- thirties. That'd work. Maybe. She could always keep her eyes shut and think of England, Darcy thought with desperate humor. Suddenly, the hair on her arms stood on end and she felt the curious weight of a stare. Lifting her eyes she saw him there, darkening the doorway. Instinct told her who he was. _Oh, no _was all she could think, freezing up. _Not him!_ There was no way she could sleep with this man. He stood six foot, minimum, and was dressed in black head to toe, making him more intimidating than he already was. Next to her a table of sorority girls, already half drunk at seven, stopped talking to stare. This man would chew her up and spit her out if they went to bed. Darcy wanted to try to get through this night without baulking, not tumble into the sack with a guy who looked like a movie star, had the body of an Olympian and oozed sex appeal like it was cologne.

"Helloooo, hot stuff," One of the sorority sisters crowed. She was right, Darcy realized, half panicked. Unconsciously she twisted the strap of her purse in her fist as her heart thundered in her chest. There was no way she could sleep with tall, dark and handsome, even if he was sexiness personified. She was looking for someone to help her ease back into sex, not a partner to burn up the sheets with. And that was the kind of sex this guy was meant for. Dark hair fell to his collar, vibrant cerulean blue eyes were his most striking feature and they were fixed on her. As he crossed the room, he didn't break eye contact with her once, not even when one of the sorority girls slurred out a half-baked come on. She had to give him credit for that, because the co-ed had legs up to her eyeballs. _Its fine, _Darcy reassured herself. _I recognize this guy, he works with S.H.E.I.L.D. He's reasonable, I'm sure. I'll just explain that I've changed my mind and we'll joke about this for a while. I'll buy him a drink and then go home to N.C.I.S reruns. _She pleaded with the universe to let her plan work.

He sank into the booth across from her with a disarming smile. For a second he didn't look so intimidating. "Darcy Lewis?" He asked smoothly. All she could do was nod. _Breathe _she ordered herself. She had to reject him because there was no way she was humiliating herself in front of someone this hot. "I'm James Barnes. You can call me Bucky, all my friends do. Do you want another drink?"

"What?"

"Your drink, you haven't touched it."

"Oh, no. No, this is fine." _You're stumbling over your words, you idiot. _It took most of her self-control not to bolt right then. Opposite her Bucky noticed and protective instincts he hadn't known he still possessed surged to life. He wanted to reach across the table and take her hands, but she looked poised on the edge of flight so he didn't move. Instead he relaxed, hooking his arm over the back of the booth far away from her and left the other one palm up on the table. Non-threatening and calm, his body language said. It worked, he noticed as her thrumming jugular slowed marginally. But she still looked much too uncomfortable to really be enjoying this. He'd fix that, he promised himself.

"Look, James-"

"Bucky," he cut in. His voice reminded her of smoke and warmth. She was being ridiculous. _Keep going _she encouraged herself.

"If you want to cancel-"

"You're not interested?"

"No! It isn't like that, I just don't think this is such a good idea." She attempted a charming smile. "Funny how things look in the harsh light of day."

"When we're actually doing them it sinks in, right?" He flashed that charismatic smile again and she could have cried in relief. He understood! She felt herself palpably relax.

"But why give up when you've gotten this far?" Bucky finished. The tension returned. _Oh no. No, no, no. He still wants to do this. _

Bucky wanted it more than ever now that he'd seen her. She was pretty in jeans and t shirts at the lab, but his imagination hadn't done justice to what she looked like in that dress. He'd curb his sexuality a bit and ease her into love making better than any two bit yuppie ever could. Perhaps he'd be smarter not to risk getting involved with her this way, but he loathed the idea of walking away. That yuppie would take his place and the mere thought made him want to strangle the faceless competition. She'd been brave coming this far after a bad experience. If she left there was no doubt in his mind that she'd get set up again with someone milder and go through with it. He wouldn't let that happen. When a girl you'd been fantasizing about since you regained your cognitive abilities was dropped into your lap, you went down with a fight.

"What?" _That's all you can say tonight isn't it?_

"I'm already dying to drag you upstairs," Bucky confessed seeing her eyes widen again, not with panic but with lust. The desire confused her, but all the same it was there. She responded to verbal images, he noted. That was positive.

"Why?" The man across the table, Bucky, had lifted the ice capsule her libido had been buried in with one statement. Under the table she crossed her legs as an uncomfortable heat spread between them. He noticed the move, his eyes narrowing like a shark scenting blood. "I think the better question is how could I not want you? You're gorgeous and I'm dying to see if you're as hot as I think you'll be."

"I have scarring." She blurted it out and wished she could take it back. However her table companion didn't miss a beat.

"Same." He peeled off one of his leather gloves, and metal flashed under the bar's dim lighting. "I lost my arm in the war. When I was a POW it was amputated and they replaced it with a steel prosthetic that's attached to my body."

"Wow." She reached across the table and touched his hand. It was the first she'd voluntarily touched him. He held perfectly still. Many people didn't realize that he had a sense of feeling in the arm. Her fingers slid admiringly over the metal, not realizing that her touch was an erotic caress that sent his blood rushing south. Taking a risk, he interlaced their fingers and took her hand. Her eyes snapped back to his face and he read the wariness there.

"No one lives without getting scars. Ours are more noticeable, but it's evidence that we came out on the flip side. Now, why don't we move this up stairs?" There was a subtle command in his voice and she responded to it, allowing herself to be led out of the bar towards the hotel lobby.

* * *

**Please review and let me know what you think. -Kelly**


	2. Chapter 2

**Second chapter! Thank you for all of your reviews! I loved every single one. Also, I considered the wise words of a guest reviewer about making sure that they proceeded hesitantly... but make no mistake readers, I intend to turn up the heat to volcanic levels soon. **

**I loved this chapter and I think I manage to set the foundation for an honest connection that isn't just about hormones. -G28**

* * *

Chapter 2

The elevator shut with a barely audible click behind them. Darcy chewed on her lip as they stepped into the penthouse wondering how she was going to get out of this. Downstairs had been a mistake; she never should have come up here. Apparently oblivious to her struggle, Bucky strode over to the wet bar and emerged with a bottle of champagne chilled in a bucket of ice.

"Piper-Heidsieck," He announced examining the bottle. "I hope you like champagne dry."

She had no idea how she liked her champagne, so she gave him a nervous smile.

"Thanks," Darcy agreed taking the glass he brought her. A couple swallows of liquid courage fortified her. Okay, so she was here and running off to the elevator would be cowardly. So what was she supposed to do? Strip? Throw herself at him? He wasn't offering any hints, she thought as he interlaced their fingers again and guided her to the windows.

"See that?" He pointed out the window towards a bridge. She nodded, breathless as he pressed his body behind hers. The man had an impressive erection she noticed as it pressed against the top of her bottom. "That's the Brooklyn Bridge."

"It is?" She squinted at it trying to get a better look. In the dark it was difficult for her to tell.

"Yup. And over there," He turned her, "is the Manhattan Bridge. Just beyond that is the Williamsburg Bridge. From here we can only see the lights."

"I haven't lived in New York long enough to pick out anything," Darcy stated, relaxing against him. He was warm and solid and leaning back into that was surprisingly soothing. Their momentary small talk had done wonders for her nerves. _You can do this,_ she cheered herself on. Gathering her courage, she turned in his arms and linked her hands behind his neck. In her stilettos she was almost tall enough to look him in the eye. "So what now?"

Bucky controlled a smile at her valor as she pushed past discomfort to accomplish her objective. By the end of the night it wouldn't just be a goal for her but a thrilling experience that would replace the memory of whatever horrific thing had happened to her. He caught a lock of dark hair between his thumb and forefinger, letting it slide slowly from his grasp while he considers his answer. "What do you want to do now?"

"Ah….." Darcy frowned, thrown for a loop. "Take off my clothes?" A blush darkened her fair skin.

_Damn, whatever sex she had in the past was cold _is all Bucky can think. Disgust at the bastards she'd slept with before reared its ugly head, but he disguised the emotion from her. Whoever she'd been with before was a snake to cheat her from the pleasure of lovemaking. But he'd change that. Tonight would be a discovery for her and he found himself very much looking forward to assisting her.

"I'd rather help you with that task," He said roughly, tipping her chin up so she was forced to look at him. The fire glittering there amazes her. _All that for me?_ Through her disbelief she feels him tugging down her dress' back zipper. However, her insecurities interfered and unexpectedly she tensed under his hands. He slid the zipper all the way open, but left the dress on. "You can tell me to stop whenever you want to, Darcy and I'll do it no matter what. Do you believe me?"

"Yes," She agreed. He was struck by her strength, maybe in just being able to let him touch her. He slid one hand inside the dress and stroked over her exposed flesh. A shiver raced over her skin. She took a deep breath. _So responsive, _he thought. Unfortunately if things kept going at this pace it would make each step agonizing for her. He needed to speed things along and make her stop thinking. If she'd just give herself over to her senses he had no doubt she'd find her body capable of incredible pleasure.

"I'll admit," He whispered in her ear, "I tend to have a take charge attitude in the bedroom." In this position, with his head lowered, each breath he took blew out over her neck. In the low light he could see her carotid artery pulsating, as fast as a humming bird's wings. It was true that he liked being the dominant partner in bed, but to himself Bucky freely admitted that she drew something savage out of him. An urge quivered in the depths of his stomach that demanded he conquer and possess. He tried to rationalize it as a natural alpha male instinct, but knew he'd never had a compulsion like this one gnawing in his gut.

He felt her reaction to his words as her stomach tightened and her legs quivered. It turned her on. And also took the pressure off her to direct the night. Maybe he wouldn't have to be as restrained as he'd planned. With an economic movement he pushed the dress' straps from her shoulders and dropped it to her ankles in one motion. A gasp escaped her but she tilted her face up to his and he could see her pupils dilate in anticipation, reassuring him she was still with him.

"Beautiful," He praised, running his knuckles over the slope of one creamy breast. She shook her head. "What's that?" Bucky asked, leaning to ensnare her gaze.

"I'm covered in scars," She protested weekly as two of his fingers dipped into the cup of her demi bra, teasing her. He removed his fingers and using his bionic hand caught her smaller one, pressing it to his groin. Feeling the heavy arousal there, she gasped. When her hand instinctively closed around him he held back his own gasp.

"Evidently I don't care, now do I?" he asked his voice harsh as she turned her eyes on the pulsating ridge she was palming with interest. His hand slipped around her waist as he waited to see how she'd react. His little vixen was one curious cat. She opened her hand and ran it up and down his ridged shaft from base to tip. A shudder wracked him and her eyes lit up with joy. "I want you," He ground out. "I saw you and I wanted you. By the time we're finished you'll know that like you know your own name."

Her hand left his pulsating cock to slide tentatively to his shoulders. Rising on her toes she pressed her mouth cautiously to his. He'd never felt anything more erotic in years. Her tongue probed his lips and he opened his mouth so she could slide her tongue against his. She was wary and restrained but that only amplified her power over him. Air hissed out of him as his control fractured and he locked his arms around her, kissing her deeply. A moan was pried from her as he stroked the fire of lust within her. Her legs spread open automatically and he took advantage, pressing his throbbing length against her core. She cried out, but it was a pleasured, husky cry. Finally he eased back. Her eyes were dazed and filmy, her mouth swollen and wet.

"Wow," She gasped. Bucky grinned. She woke up emotions in him he'd forgotten he could feel: protectiveness, warmth, laughter…..by the time the night was over what else would he feel?

"You don't doubt me anymore, do you?" She shook her head. "Then you'll know that the only thing I want is to get you so hot you feel like you'll explode and make you come so hard you scream my name."

The descriptions excited her and she hung off his every word. "But I don't want to scare you. I meant what I said about stopping. I'll do it no matter what. You trust me that far, don't you, doll?" He watched her face carefully. "Then don't think about whoever hurt you and caused these scars," He stroked over one that disappeared into the cup of her bra along its side. Knife marks he realized, controlling his emotions. If he ever came across who'd done this to her he'd kill them without hesitation.

"I don't think I'll be any good at this," She confided, pressing closer.

"You'll be good at it. I'll show you everything you've been missing. Okay?"

"Alright." As soon as she'd accepted he swept her off her feet and carried her to the bed.

* * *

**I'm a miserable college student studying for finals and your reviews make my day. This isn't begging. Okay, maybe a little, don't judge.**

**Please Review! **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Finals are over and I have survived! In celebration of this momentous event, I now post a chapter. Enjoy and review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Marvel, Captain America or Thor. **

* * *

Chapter 3

Her arms braced on Bucky's shoulders, Darcy resisted the urge to wuss out as he neared the bed. All she had to say was stop. It would be easy, but she'd never have an opportunity like this again. In equal measure she was fascinated and terrified of what he'd already awoken inside of her. What would this part bring? He gently deposited her onto the bed.

"Lie back," He ordered. Her nerves returned with vengeance, suddenly multiplied. Could she actually do this?

"Stop thinking," He told her. "You look like your waiting for the grim reaper."

"Sorry," Darcy flushed red as humiliation burned.

"No more talking. Starting now, the only word I'll listen to is stop." His words had their desired effect. Her heart jumped and heat spread through her, making her toes curl. He noticed as well and smiled as he reached for the buttons of his shirt. Darcy was captivated as each button was flicked open, revealing more of himself. A smug grin kicked up the corner of his mouth as he watched her response. The shirt dropped, revealing his carved bare chest along with the gleaming silver of his bionic arm. A light trail of hair trailed from the center of his pectorals and disappeared below his belt, captivating her interest. His smile widened as he began undoing his belt with slow deliberate motions.

_This is the feeling horny old men go to strip clubs for,_ Darcy thought, thrilled as he removed his clothing.

The pants joined the shirt and he was left in nothing but a pair of boxers that did little to hide his arousal. It had been a long time since she'd been with an actual man and not her vibrator. The thought of his hard length separating her folds and driving home to her core made her lips part as lust crested with in her. He hooked his thumbs through the band and shed the material. She sucked in oxygen desperately as he stalked towards her, intent written over him. Anticipation boiled when he lowered himself over her legs, braced in a push up position. Their eyes met and Darcy swallowed when his eyes glittered, conveying a predacious intent no words could capture. Slowly he crawled up her body, deliberately brushing against her until he was poised over her, their lips almost touching. Closing her eyes Darcy lifted her mouth for a kiss.

"I think we should get rid of this bra," He whispered against her mouth. Her eyes flew open in surprise just as his mouth closed over hers, claiming it again. She'd never been kissed like this, was all she could think, closing her eyes again. He dominated her senses, nibbling and sucking until she squirmed. When he discarded the bra she didn't even notice it was gone until his thumb slid over her nipple teasing it softly. He continued the dance their mouths were preforming while torturing her breasts into hard peaks and then released her mouth to kiss down her sternum. Delicately he nipped the skin there and it make her arch off the bed. Once more he brushed the pad of his thumb over her and then took her into his mouth. In a sudden aggressive change, he began suckling mercilessly. A mewling cry came from her and she clutched his head, her fingers sinking into his hair.

"Bucky!" He growled and palmed the other breast, where swollen flesh begged for his attention. Her head fell back against the pillow and he switched sides, giving the neglected twin his full attention. Under his ministrations she squirmed and gasped. Finally he lifted his head, admiring the work he'd done with satisfaction. "Look how sensitive you are. Already on the edge, and all I've had to do is suck these pretty pink nipples. I wonder how you'll taste."

"What?"

"Be quiet," He ordered, giving her breast one last lick. She shivered in response and felt her stomach turn over when he kissed his way down her ribs, stopping briefly to explore her belly button and scrape his teeth over her flank. By the time he reached the edge of her panties she was sweating. He ran his tongue along the band and she tensed in expectation. He appeared not to notice and sampled the place on her hip where her skin pulled tight, sucking at it until she cried out. Just when she opened her mouth to point out that somewhere really, really needed his attention, he pressed his knuckle hard into her folds, coming into contact with her clit. Jerking forward, her back bowed off the bed, and she sobbed his name. He pushed her back down and tore off her panties at nearly the same time. The barely restrained violence had her quivering, not with fear, but with need. Cold air assaulted her when he spread her with his fingers. An array of images abruptly ruined her moment. Pain. Blood. Fear. She froze under him, distress clouding her judgment of the situation.

"Darcy. Don't do that. Stay with me."

The snap of his voice dragged her back to the present. He waited for her to meet his eyes.

In them she saw knowledge and wondered how he'd known her thoughts. His hand kneaded her thigh, reminding her of the need still burning between them. With no warning he dropped his head and plunged his tongue into her dripping cleft, parting her folds. His tongue touched her clit and she screamed. All her memories were vanished. Her pussy throbbed and pulsed while his clever tongue found all her sensitive spots. Under him she twisted and moaned, arching and retreating. He refused to let her pull away when the pleasure got so intense she could hardly contain it and wrapped his arms- steel and flesh- around her legs so she was held immobile. Over and over his tongue stroked and rubbed.

"Please! Bucky, please!" Darcy begged, her head thrown back as she rolled her hips against his mouth.

"Tell me what you want," Bucky coaxed and continued toying with her using the tip of his tongue.

"Please!"

He plunged his fingers inside of her and took her clit into his mouth suckling roughly. Instantly, she came. Convulsions rocked her, coming in waves until she shrieked. Her legs trembled and the orgasm felt as if it went on for an eternity. After, tears ran down her face. She reached up to brush them away but Bucky caught her hand, lacing their fingers, and kissed the tears away. How had he gotten past all her defenses? In two hours he'd wormed his way in so close he was holding her while she calmed from her first orgasm with another person. When was the last time she'd let anyone hold her? Even her own mother?

"Thanks," She said when her voice came back to her. Bucky dropped a soft kiss on to her hair. Suddenly she stiffened. How did this work? Wasn't there supposed to be some system of reciprocity involved in sex? Determined to make up for her gaffe she pushed out of his embrace. Trying to be seductive she slithered down his chest towards his groin, skimming over hard muscles with her lips. Her hands stroked up and down his thighs before she experimentally flicked her tongue over his flared head.

"Darcy," He gasped out, jerking. A feeling of pure female power flooded her. She could effortlessly do to him what he'd done for her. What had begun as a chore was beginning to look a lot more interesting. This couldn't be that complicated. Opening her mouth she closed her lips and sucked, reveling in his harsh groan. Encouraged she dropped her head lower, riveted to her task. When his hands wrapped around her arms and dragged her back she was stunned and then disappointed. Had it really been that bad? Maybe those moans hadn't been of pleasure after all, but disgust.

"Do not look at me that way," He growled, hauling her against his chest and then closing his arms around her completely so she was plastered against him. "I'm not looking to get off because I gave you an orgasm. The next time you go down on me it'll be because it's what you want to, not because you're repaying me." He sounded offended, and looked it.

"Sorry," Was all she could think to say.

"Stop thinking. I've got a better plan," He announced, changing his mind. He rolled, taking her with him until she ended up underneath him. Poised over top of her he looked savage and with lust glinting in his eyes he reminded her of a hunter eyeing at his next meal. Her satisfied body sprang back to awareness, wanting him again. "I'll make you stop thinking," he promised. His bionic arm held her in place as he slipped two fingers inside of her, testing her readiness. Bucky smirked, looking pleased when she arched against his hands and wiggled trying to get more friction. "Atta girl," He praised, giving her clit- throbbing again- a brief caress that left her wholly unsatisfied. "You already want more."

With his teeth he ripped open a condom packet that she hadn't noticed him grab. He sheathed himself before he caught her ankles in one hand and pushed them until her knees folded against her shoulders. Now she lay open and completely vulnerable to him. Oddly she didn't feel threatened, but exhilarated. Not the kind of fearful exhilaration she was used to, but that of delicious anticipation just as you're about to get a present. He waited poised at her entrance.

"Now," She groused, trying to lift her hips towards him as he rubbed himself over her.

"Easy there Tiger," he teased as wetness began to seep from her folds. A mewl came from her as he taunted her again. Her hips lunged forwards, but he pulled away.

"Bucky," It was a whine, long and drawn out. She hadn't expected it to work, until he thrust hard into her. She shuddered under the impact, her features twisting with pleasure. A strangled sound came out of her and Bucky hissed as she clamped around him. Slowly he filled her as she begged him to speed up the pace and he ignored her.

Finally he sank in to the hilt and she felt filled to the point of bursting.

"Alright," He asked, his voice horse. "You're tight, babe." Beneath him she groaned and pushed up at him, her senses drowning in stimulation.

"More," She ordered and milked at him with her inner muscles, tightening her channel. His teeth snapped together. It was all the encouragement he needed when already poised on the edge of his control and he thrust deeper into her, setting a hard pace. She matched it, meeting his every thrust and wrapping her legs around him for leverage. Darcy could feel her blood pumping, her body heating and her clit pounding as it rubbed between them. Her nails sank into his shoulders and he groaned. The pressure built until she was desperate, but he kept her there, almost at her peak, until she keened for relief. Over and over he drove into her, until she felt something release inside of her.

"That's it!" He encouraged her, and his thumb found her clit, stroking roughly over it. She screamed and shuddered gripping him as an anchor while a climax more powerful than the last ripped through her body without mercy. Her walls undulated around his cock, rippling and squeezing. As much as he wanted to watch her, his body demanded release and he surrendered to his own potent orgasm. In the aftermath feeling drained, and feeling very warm with him draped over her, she quickly dropped off to sleep.

* * *

**Please review! Let me know where you think I should take them and whether I should keep going at the level of intensity I am. I wasn't sure if it would be too much for my readers. Tell me about it in your review. **


	4. Chapter 4

**I apologize for being gone so long. Summer... the days all sort of blend together don't they? Next thing you know you've forgotten all about your commitments and you're watching the same Criminal Minds episode on reruns for the third time. Sorry guys, I'm already working on the next chapter to make up for it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Marvel, Captain America or Thor.**

* * *

Chapter 4

With her head cradled in the hollow of Bucky's shoulder, Darcy slept deeply. Whist she was unaware, Bucky observed her. In sleep she looked peaceful and serene. Occasionally she'd turn her face into him, pressing her skin to his with a soft sigh of contentment. Holding her left his mind free to wander and questions he'd promised he wouldn't ask were beginning to form. Who had caused her scars? Why was she afraid of sex? None of the answers he could imagine would be easy to hear, but all the same he wanted to know, needed to know. And more than that, he wanted her for himself. Dangerous, he knew when all they'd agreed to was a one night stand. She was amazing, never holding back anything even when he could sense she was scared. It softened a hard place inside that he'd thought was long crusted over.

He studied her scars, holding back anger. A red jagged line marred her left breast and multiple stabbings and slashes appeared on her stomach and ribs. He picked out the stomach scars as having been knife wounds, but the wound on her breast was too jagged to fall into that camp. A piece of glass?

"What are you doing," She murmured opening her eyes when he trailed a finger over a line on her stomach.

"How did you get this," He asked. Emotions flickered across her face. Reluctance, worry and alarm.

"A knife," She answered finally. "How'd you lose your arm?"

Tit for tat. "I fell off a mountain." It was close enough to the truth.

"Do you want to hear about the scars?"

"Do you want to tell me about it?" He asked her. Tonight wasn't about his needs, he reminded himself. Darcy could share as much or as little as she was comfortable with. She leaned her head back on his shoulder to look up at him, pondering his words and eventually nodded.

"If you want to hear it." Bucky nodded his assent. Her teeth sank into her bottom lip as she concentrated, gathering her thoughts.

"My freshman year of college I started dating an older guy, Bryan. At first it was going well and I was thrilled; he was my first serious boyfriend. Then he started trying to control me in little ways. It happened so quickly but I didn't notice. Or maybe I was so invested in the relationship I didn't care." She shrugged.

"He'd try to pick out my clothes, choose where we went on dates, and try to persuade me to avoid my friends. For a while I went along with it, but eventually my friends told me they were worried about me so I broke up with him. I'd only done it because of my friends, but when he slashed my tires, I knew they'd been right about him." Abruptly she stopped, visibly struggling with her words. He pressed a kiss to her temple. He wanted to turn back the clock and protect her from whatever turn the story was about to take, but all he could do was be here for her.

"After Bryan slashed my tires I started seeing him everywhere. I'd go to class and he'd be waiting outside my building or sitting in his car. I'd go to the gym or the mall and he'd suddenly he'd show up out of the blue. Then for about a week he was gone. It was like he'd just dropped off the face of the earth. I started feeling safer and taking more risks, thinking I could get on with my life. It was a stupid mistake. One night he was waiting for me after class in the parking lot. Since I'd stopped feeling threatened I'd also stopped parking close to street lights, and I didn't see him until he was right on me. He used a stun gun to knock me out. I don't know what happened next but I woke up and it was cold and dark and I was tied to a mattress." Bucky squeezed her tighter. Absently she stroked his chest, trying to offer _him _comfort over her pain, he thought.

"He raped me but that was what I'd expected. You can only draw so many conclusions about what'll happen next when you're tied to a mattress in an abandon storage unit. Knowing what would come made it possible for me to compartmentalize. The some of the cuts are from a broken bottle that he'd use if he thought I wasn't suffering enough."

Bucky's teeth ground together loud enough to be heard. Inhaling through his nose he blew out the breath through his mouth, trying to make the painful lump is his chest ease. Darcy was so wrapped up in the past she didn't even notice.

"What was worse was when I was rescued, he heard the cops coming. He got scared and used a knife on me. I curled into a ball and kicked at him so most of the wounds were shallow and poorly placed. He wasn't very skilled with a blade. I suppose I should have counted myself lucky, but later I wished he'd been better or that I hadn't fought back."

"You wanted to be dead?" Bucky asked gently.

He could sympathize because once, he'd wanted the same but he couldn't understand. It would be better if he was dead, because the world would be a safer place. If she was dead the world would have lost a warm, loving person. How could she want that?

"Yeah. Living with it was hard. Going back was hard, facing my parents and feeling the way I did about myself was hard. I just wanted all the difficult things to stop. For a while I was managing and I finished the next few years. But his younger brother started at Culver my senior year. Some rumors got started and suddenly everyone knew who I was. I couldn't relive it, so I got an internship to cover my final credits and worked for Jane. After we met Thor she kept me on as her personal assistant. That was pretty amazing, because I was wondering where I'd go next after working with her. Anything else would have seemed dull after Jane." Bucky smiled at that.

"It's amazing that you recovered enough to finish your degree. You're very brave."

"Therapy helped. But I still wonder…."

"Wonder what?"

"Why you'd still be attracted to me after what'd happened to me. I find it repulsive."

Anger flared in his chest, hot and fiery. Son a bitch if he could find this man he'd skin him alive with a dull buck knife. But doling out sympathies wouldn't help her. Lust boiled in his blood as he decided on a course of action. Instead of saying anything he swept her up and started towards the bathroom.

"Whoa! What are we doing now?" There was curiosity in her voice and a healthy dose of anticipation. He'd given that to her, he thought with contentment.

"I'm going to show you something."

In the bathroom he carried her to the full length mirror and set her down in front of him. "What do you see?"

"Myself and you," She answered dutifully, rolling her eyes at him. He hummed his agreement and wrapped his arms around her waist. Her back was flush with his chest and she could feel the heat coming off him.

"Now, let me tell you what I see." His hands rested on her shoulders and he slid them down to cradle her breasts. He stroked them watching her nipples harden and turn dusky but avoiding touching them. She liked watching herself respond he observed as her lips opened. Reaching back she tried to caress his thigh, but he pulled away. "Uh-uh. No distracting me. I see a beautiful woman who enjoys being touched by a lover. You're responsive and giving. You never hold back, Darcy. That's amazing after what you've been through." Her nipples had tightened to the point of pain. If he touched them she thought she just might cry in relief. "Put your arms around my neck," He ordered. She complied, linking them together. The movement stretched her out and to reach she had to arch her back while he leaned forwards. The motion thrust her breasts out and made her throb with need as she watched herself in the mirror.

"Don't let go. I'm in charge, and if you let go I'll stop." She opened her mouth to protest. "I won't do this if you don't agree. You can say stop at any time and I will, same as before. But if you let go, I'll punish you by making you wait." He met her eyes in their reflection and saw the desire there.

He knew her answer before she did.

"I agree." She said after a moment of indecision. When it came down to it she trusted him and surrender was sweet. There were no more decisions to make, no more weight of choices. His fingers came up to tease the hardened point of her breast and she cried out when he touched it. Each flick of his fingers was lightning straight to her core, making it wetter and hotter. She twisted against him but didn't dare let go. Abruptly memories assailed her, triggered in part by their position. Once again she was helpless at a man's mercy and begging. What was she doing? Discomfort entered her mind and she felt her arousal lessen.

"Stop thinking, Darcy," Bucky whispered in her ear. Her eyes met his and she calmed, knowing she was safe. His mouth quirked into a devious half smile, her only warning before he plunged two fingers of his cybernetic hand into her. The cold steel of the digits was harsh against her overheated fold and she whimpered, gripping her hands together harder. He teased her with light, shallow strokes that were the opposite of what she needed. Desperate she tightened her legs together and rolled her body against his hand, trying to increase the friction. "No you don't," He commanded her, gripping her tighter. The shallow strokes continued until she was mewling and gasping for breath, sagging against him. It felt as though an hour had passed since this torture began. Suddenly his fingers curled and he jerked them aggressively, thumbing her clit.

"Oh, yes!" She cried, arching her back. The edge was just within reach and she tightened with anticipation. His hand slipped out of her and she wept. "What the hell?!" She demanded, outraged. Juices oozed down her thighs, sticky and uncomfortable.

"Let me tell you what I see now." Was he serious? Her legs were shaking, her every nerve ending was begging for his touch and he wanted to talk. She almost let go of him then and there. However, her last shred of common sense told her that this treatment would be extended if she did, and her hands remained linked.

"What. Do. You. See." She snarled, pissed off. He chuckled, and she kicked at him. He laughed again.

"You. Keyed up, ready to burst. You're on the edge still, doll and your legs are shaking. If I let go you'd slide to the floor, your senses are so overwhelmed. There are tears in your eyes, because I'm making you wait. Your juices are running down your thighs and your clit is so swollen," He parted her so she could see, "it's scarlet." Seeing herself displayed like that in the mirror as he ran his hands freely over her body and cool air assaulted her primed clit, she could have climaxed from a light wind. "But you're not as ready as I'd like you to be."

Her eyes dilated. There was more? Her legs slammed closed, protecting her tender folds from whatever assault he had planned. "Oh no. Don't you start that now," He growled. "Open up." It was an order and she was helpless but to submit and widened her legs. From behind, he pushed into her, and she sobbed with pleasure. He drew out entering her, feeding her himself, inch by inch. She swore viciously jerking her hips against him in a desperate rhythm that he countered, keeping her from completion.

"You curse very creatively," He complimented, sounding unruffled while she felt unraveled.

"Bucky! I need…" She cried out, as he thrust all the way in, hitting a spot deep inside her. A scream ripped from her as he invaded her, intolerably large inside of her from this angle. There was pleasure, and uneasiness, as her inner muscles burned. "No," She protested tossing her head from side to side.

"Look at me," He barked. She lifted her eyes to meet his in the mirror, uncertain. Could she handle this? "I won't hurt you. Just trust me and let yourself feel, baby."

His hand came down to rub over her clit, skimming it and retreating until her muscles relaxed and she gasped when he pulled out and then plunged in again. And did it again. A third time.

"Bucky!"

"What, sweetheart?"

"More! I need more." She ground back against him and moaned when he ran his hands up her body, caressing her skin. It didn't seem to matter where he touched, everywhere had become an erogenous zone. He played with her breasts and varied his thrusts so they were sometimes deep and then shallow, never letting her slide over the edge, but keeping her on a plateau of pleasure that had her begging him for mercy.

"I'll give you what you need," He promised, before driving up hard and hitting that spot again. A flash of pain stung even as fireworks exploded behind her eyelids. She panted for air and met his thrusts. She was so close. "Do you like that, baby?" He questioned, tweaking her peaked breasts and sending more sensations down to her channel. A feral sound came from her. Was that her? He pushed deeper and she felt herself spasm around him, almost at an orgasm. She was sure she'd die from sexual tension before he got her off. "That's the spot isn't it? What if we did this?" He reached down and pinched her clit between his thumb and forefinger. Her whole body shuddered as her orgasm struck and her juices gushed from her and she flew apart. The pleasure seemed to go on and on, drawing her body tight as a bow while it was racked with violent spasms. Holding her up through it, he soaked up her every keening cry. Finally she sagged against him, stunned. Her arms slid from his neck, limp and lifeless.

"Oh, _wow,_" She groaned, slumping over in his arms. Inside she still quivered with delicious aftershocks. Darcy was so relaxed she was almost asleep.

"Save the review, the show isn't over."

"What?!" She demanded, as her head snapped back to meet his gaze in the mirror. Suddenly she was aware of a hardness deep inside her pussy, still throbbing and full. "How?" She gasped, disbelieving. Bucky laughed, kissing her cheek.

"You're cute," He commented, hauling her back against him from where she was collapsed over his forearm.

"Oh no. That's not happening. I can't do it. I won't."

"Yes, you will." There was a whip of demand in his tone. She tried pleading.

"It's too much, please, Bucky, please…." He ignored her and started with a slow relaxed pace that perked up her nerve endings with repeated interest. She knew one word would stop him, but couldn't bring herself to end this. The lines of what was pleasure and what was pain blurred as her swollen folds accepted his cock. Her aftershocks increased and she whimpered.

"Watch yourself in the mirror," He encouraged her. She moaned as she met her reflection's gaze. Her face was flushed with exertion and there were tear tracks down her face. Against him she was lifeless and the sight of him supporting her weight while wetness streamed down the insides of her thighs made her clench.

"How could I not be attracted to you?" He asked her.

Her only answer was a soft keening as he widened her stance and made his thrusts shorter, moving into a brutal pace that slammed into her. Too exhausted to counter, she let him do as he pleased, pushing her right up to her next peak. Her stomach muscles clenched and her channel burned. "Come for me." It was a decree, which her body willingly followed, shattering. This time she quivered rather than shuddering, but the orgasm was no less intense. Bucky lost his tenuous grip on control and buried himself in her a final time before his body spilled itself into hers.

Absolutely sapped of strength, Darcy almost slid from his arms.

"Easy," He soothed, pulling her tight against him. Unexpectedly chilled she shivered fiercely. Her teeth chattered, and she tried to say something, but found she couldn't get her words around her tongue. Only useless babble spilled out and immediately she stopped. _What's happening to me_, she thought, horrified as her tremors grew stronger.

"It's okay," Bucky crooned, lifting her against him and hauling her into the shower. He shut the glass door behind them and kept her propped against him as he turned on the water, testing it for its temperature before stepping under it. The warmth of the water helped with her chill, sweeping away the sweat that clung to her hair and face. Damn it, he cursed himself. He should have expected her to react forcefully to such an emotional and physical shock. Yet, even as he thought that, he replayed her delightful cries and found himself wanting to pound on his chest and howl in male triumph. Bucky didn't say anything as he held her. She still couldn't support her own weight and he found himself rocking her back and forth, smoothing his hands through her wet hair to ease her.

"Darcy? Are you alright?"

"I'm amazing. Sorry. I have no idea what that was." Her head lay on his shoulder and her eyes were only half open.

"That was my fault," He explained, contrite. "I pushed you too far and you were overwhelmed."

"No, it was wonderful. I had no idea that my body could even do that." Charmed, he softly kissed her forehead. Darcy Lewis would never cease to amaze him, he decided. She was scarred and vulnerable but also determined and fearless. But she didn't have to be. The world had hurt her, but he could stop it. He could protect her. And that Bucky decided, was his new personal mission. He'd inform her of that later he decided, holding her as she drifted somewhere between sleep and waking. This was more than a one night stand. She probably didn't realize it being inexperienced but connections this powerful were rare. They'd connect well on other levels too, he knew intuitively. Before he'd considered her too fragile to forage a relationship with, but now he understood that beneath a delicate veneer there was a resilient core.

He wanted more, he wanted everything. Fighting with her would be difficult, he thought with a grin. Darcy would never give an inch. With one arm he held her upright and used the other to soap her up.

"What're you doing?" Darcy's voice asked, slurred with sleep.

"Cleaning you up. I'm almost done."

"I can-"

"I want to," Bucky interrupted, flipping open the shampoo.

"Hmmm…" He took that as agreement when he began massaging her scalp. In minutes he had her washed and dried and tucked next to him in bed.

* * *

**Please review! I want to know what everyone thought and even short reviews are appreciated. Go on, click the button!**


	5. Chapter 5

**First off, sorry this took so long. I went camping for a week and there was no wifi. I'd planned to update before the trip, but it slipped my mind. Bad excuse, I know, but there you have it. On with the story!**

* * *

When she awoke to the first rays of sunshine, Darcy regretted it. She wished she'd slept longer so she didn't have to face this part: the leaving. Better he do it, and break her heart than being forced to do it herself. But he mattered, in a way she promised she'd never let anyone matter again. It made her heart race and her emotions sing, but it was too dangerous to pursue. Knowing this, she slipped on her dress and found her shoes and bag. Then she slid soundlessly out the door.

Bucky was furious. And hurt. She'd left him, just disappeared! Like you agreed to logic, the vicious harpy, reminded him.

It had been a week since she'd slipped out without a word, and Bucky was left in a nasty cycle of wanting to throw things and wanting to go drag Darcy off to Bimini and chain her to him forever. Currently he was a in a ticked off cycle, torturing himself by wondering if she'd slept with him as means to an end. Maybe she had a boyfriend and he was pressuring her for sex? That wasn't such a problem, Bucky assured himself. Accidents happened to people all the time. _Damn it!_ He pulled himself out of it realizing that he was planning the murder of a man who may or may not exist. He was sick of mooning like a teenage girl. He'd act like an adult and go talk to her. Decided, he grabbed his jacket and headed out the door. His bravado continued until he got to the science division and realized that he had no real plan, or even an excuse for being there. Actually, he amended glancing around the space, he'd never even ventured this far into the science division before. He wandered over to the plate glass wall that over looked Manhattan and considered his options.

From behind him he heard the sound of raised voices. Glancing over his shoulder he noticed Tony Stark in the lab with a woman he fleetingly recognized as Dr. Jane Foster. They were arguing over the sounds of a whirling machine. Dr. Foster was pacing back and forth while Tony waved her off, staring entranced at a large monitor. The rapid click of heels snapped his attention away from the scientists. Darcy was racing towards the lab was quickly as her footwear and pencil skirt would let her. Being a red blooded man who happened to know what was under that alluring outfit, Bucky took a moment to appreciate the view. If she'd bothered to glance across the room she'd have easily seen him but instead of looking his way she skidded around, grabbing the door to the lab to steady herself when she teetered on sky high heels and threw it open.

"Get out of there!" Darcy screamed.

What the hell? Bucky jerked away from the window. His eyes darted to the scientists but locked on their machine. It was glowing bright orange as its metal heated up. Through the open door way he could hear the creaking of metal joints.

"That thing is going to explode!" Darcy barked at the two.

"No, we can cool it down in a second," Jane insisted. "We only need one more set of data," Tony said at the same time.

"Get out!" Bucky snarled, coming up behind Darcy. Everyone froze.

"I said move!" He bellowed again. Jane Foster jumped and automatically began to follow his order. Tony however, balked.

"Chill out man, I've done stuff like this before- it'll be close, but we can get it!" Jane's face lit up.

"Seriously?" She gasped. Losing his patience, Bucky entered the lab and picked up Jane by the waist, throwing her over his shoulder.

"HEY!" The physicist protested. Ignoring her, he strode out the door, grabbing Darcy by the elbow. Once they were in the hallway, away from the glass he set Jane down.

"Get her out of here, take the stairs. Find Cap."

Darcy barely nodded before she grabbed a still protesting Jane's hand, pulling her toward the stairs. Bucky turned around and headed back into the lab, where he grabbed Stark by the back of the neck and dragged. The bastard put up a fight at the door way.

"We can't leave!" He insisted wildly.

"We have to!" Both men were shouting to be heard over the noise. A bolt, glowing fiery orange, flew by Bucky's head and cracked the plaster wall behind him.

"It'll explode, it could take out the whole floor!"

"That's what I've been telling you, asshole!" Bucky spat.

"We need to get to the controls room, we can cut the electricity!" Tony explained, pushing Bucky's hands off of him. Screw him, but that made sense. Bucky charged after Tony, hot on the older man's trail. The room had begun to fill with smoke as the machine's groaning gave way to a more threatening squeal. Looking over his shoulder, Bucky watched the glowing walls of the machine bow out under an immense pressure.

"Fuck!" Tony exclaimed violently.

"What is it?"

"It's jammed!" Shoving Tony aside Bucky grabbed the lever with his bionic hand and wrenched it down.

"Holy shit, you did it!" Tony crowed from behind him. There wasn't much the arm couldn't handle, Bucky reflected grimly. From behind them there was a shrieking hiss as steam was expelled from something.

"Shouldn't that be stopping now?" Bucky asked Tony.

"Yeah," the billionaire agreed. Their eyes met. "On the bright side, the control room is reinforced."

The words had just left his lips when a blast rocked the building. The wall across from them cracked. Tony swore colorfully and backed against the wall. A second blast, even stronger shook the floor underneath them like an earthquake. A third blast, rapidly followed by a fourth and then a loud crash. Smoke and ash filled the air though the damaged wall, burning the men's eyes.

"If there aren't any crashes for another thirty seconds, we make a break for it," Tony announced moving toward the door. After a stretch of time that felt like an eternity, they threw open the door and sprinted down the hall, skidding into the lab.

Even Tony, the resident motor mouth had no words for the destruction the small machine had caused. Black smoke residue tracked up the wall and pieces of still burning lab equipment were strewn around. Nothing it seemed, was unbroken. The remains of Darcy's desk was a pile of twisted metal and shattered glass. If she'd been sitting there….

"Holy shit." Tony's voice cut Bucky out of his dark thoughts.

"I'm beginning to think you don't know any other swear words except holy shit," he grumbled at Stark.

Tony told him to do something anatomically impossible that reassured him the man had a healthy vocabulary.

"HELP!"

_Darcy._

Racing out of the destroyed lab Bucky left Tony behind as he darted toward the stairwell entrance. The heavy metal fire door was ripped from its hinges as Bucky threw it open. Without pausing he leapt down the first flight of stairs and launched himself down the next, where he was stopped by a pile of rubble.

_Fuck! _"Darcy!" he hollered wildly.

"We're behind here!"

Bucky's knees went weak in relief. Stumbling backwards to lean on the wall, he hung his head and let out a shuddering breath.

"They okay, man?" Tony stormed down the stairs. Without waiting for his response, Tony turned to the wall of debris. "Pipsqueak? Foster?"

"I'm fine…" There was a pause that had Bucky's guts knotting. "Jane's knocked out."

Removing the wreckage took hours, even with Tony, Bucky and Steve working together. Thankfully, Thor was on a visit to Asgard. It didn't bear imagining his rage had he known Jane's condition. Darcy reported periodically, and thus far the good doctor remained unresponsive. Her lack of response after such a long time indicated serious trouble. Finally, a hole large enough that Darcy could lift Jane through was made. Steve handed her off to Tony who flew her up the stair well to the top floor infirmary with Steve just behind them. Finally, Darcy reached out and Bucky pulled her into his arms.

"Bucky," She exclaimed, tightening her grip on him. He growled her name into her hair in response as his hands slid over her body, searching for injury.

"Did anything happen to you? Do you hurt anywhere?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Darcy reassured him.

"You're going to the infirmary," Bucky ordered.

"I need to see Jane!" Darcy pushed out of the Winter Soldier's arms, but he held fast. "Bucky Barnes!" She snapped, "Put me down!"

"No, I'll take you there."

"I can walk," Darcy protested, squirming when he tossed her over his shoulder. His hands were all over her and even though it was incredibly inappropriate, her body was responding to him. Her hormones were seriously crazy to be perking up and begging when her best friend's life was hanging in the balance. "Put me down," she insisted.

"Can it and stop wiggling, I can get you there faster than you'll get yourself there."

Stopping she noticed that he was moving at an almost inhuman speed. A squeak of surprise escaped her.

"Just hang on," Bucky hissed taking the steps three at a time. Clutching his jacket, she did as he said and held fast. In less time than she'd thought possible, they made it up fifteen floors to the infirmary. Here, Bucky placed Darcy on her feet. She promptly swayed, disoriented. Automatically he reached out and grabbed her by the waist.

"I'm okay," She promptly reassured him, placing her hands over his where they rested on her waist. It was possible she was right, but he kept his arm tightly around her as they made their way towards the medical bay. People in blue scrubs rushed around, barking orders and checking monitors. Jane lay pale and still in the hospital bed, no different than how she'd been in the collapsed stairwell. Darcy stood frozen for a second before leaning heavily onto Bucky.

"Hey," Bucky said, pulling her firmly against him. "It's okay, she's alive."

"For how long?" Darcy asked. Bucky didn't answer.

* * *

**Please leave a review and tell me what you thought. I love your reviews and I appreciate constructive criticism as well. - Kelly**


	6. Chapter 6

**I have returned, readers! So sorry for the long wait. This one was kind of an awkward chapter, but it fleshes out their characterization in the story so I thought it was important.**

* * *

Chapter 6

Thor had been contacted, but Darcy decided to stay with Jane until he arrived. Despite Jane's unconsciousness, she wanted to be with her. The bustling noise of the hospital melted into the background while she stared at the slow rise and fall of Jane's chest. It was steady along with the dull beep of the heart monitor in the back ground. Darcy felt herself calming as she listened to the rhythmic beep and allowed herself to be lulled into a delusive calm. The neurologist had been confident that Jane would wake up on her own. He'd informed them they would have to determine her condition when she woke. They had no choice but to wait it out. The physician had been so calm and reassuring Darcy had almost forgotten to panic. Until the moment she realized that no one had said that Jane was going to be okay. But Darcy recognized no one could give her that reassurance.

_Please wake up,_ she thought, staring at the vibrant, brilliant woman who lay too still and pale. A hand gently touched her shoulder. She'd been so zoned out between watching Jane and listening intently for the next blip on the heart monitor that she started.

"It's just me," Bucky said.

_What was he still doing here? _

"Thor is going to be here in a minute. You need to get some sleep, you've been here all day."

"I have?" Surely it hadn't been that long. Jane was supposed to wake up in a couple days.

"The nurses say that Jane's brain activity has been increasing. They're going to wait for Thor to see her and take her for another MRI."

"So she's going to wake up?"

"The nurse said things are going in the right direction but it will probably be a bit of a wait."

More waiting. Unconsciously her hands clenched and unclenched in agitation. Would Jane ever recover? She'd been unwilling to ask the question, even to herself. Maybe she'd flag down a nurse and ask some hard questions. She could always find that neurologist again and grill him about what exactly could be done for Jane if she didn't wake up. There had to be some treatments for coma patients that the doctors could use to snap her out of it. Perhaps she should look herself. Research would better than sitting here worrying.

"Darcy, calm down." Bucky stepped in front of her, blocking her path to the door when she made her move for the door.

"Why?" Though she didn't intend for it to be, her tone was snappish. _Damn it. He didn't deserve that. _"Sorry," She mumbled looking at his chest.

"It's okay. You've had a terrible day and you need some rest."

No she did not. She needed Jane to be better. She needed her crazy scientist back. She wanted her best friend back because without Jane she felt like her heart had been ripped out, but her body remained, throbbing with an unimaginable pain.

"I need Jane back," Darcy whispered past the sudden lump in her throat.

Bucky closed the distance between them and gathered her into his arms. Her dark head fell into the hollow of his shoulder and she shuddered. No tears though, and it broke his heart more than sobs would have. Darcy Lewis was going to hold it together because she had to and that was what she'd taught herself to do. He'd had enough of it. Tonight he was going to take care of her even if he had to bulldoze over her protests. She'd have to get used to it, because that was how things were going to be from now on.

"_Jane," _a gravelly voice interrupted them.

At the sound of Thor's voice Darcy jerked away from his chest, but kept her arms around his waist. The Asgardian stood, stunned, in the doorway to Jane's room back lit by the florescent lights of the hallway. The harsh light made his haggard face look even grayer as he took a zombie-like step forward. Slowly, he managed to make his way to her bedside without ever looking away from her face. When he dropped to his knees beside Jane, Darcy couldn't take it anymore and buried her face into Bucky's chest again. Thor's pain was too overwhelming to witness.

"Let's go," Bucky whispered into her ear. Automatically, Darcy shook her head. Thor's pain was a presence by itself that beat at her, multiplying her own suffering, but she still felt compelled to stay.

Bucky wasn't having any of it. The metal arm wrapped around Darcy's waist and pulled her into the hall. She was so tired that she didn't put up much of a fight- seeing Thor's grief had dissolved her strength.

"You need sleep," Buck told her in the hall, repeating himself for what felt like the fiftieth time.

Darcy clenched her teeth, refusing to give in, despite the aching of her muscles and the grit in her eyes. "I need to stay with Jane."

"No. Jane has Thor and what she needs is you not collapsing from exhaustion. You've been awake for what? At least thirty six hours by my count."

_Thirty six hours?_ Darcy thought. She racked her mind trying to remember what time she'd gotten up. Probably at six, then she'd gotten dressed up for a job interview with Director Fury, had lunch with Erik, gone back to the lab …..The explosion….. Time was a blur after that.

"What day is it?"

Bucky sighed. "It's just past seven in the morning, Friday."

Darcy fell against the wall and groaned. He was right. She hated it, but Jane had Thor now and Darcy would be needed once Jane came around. She was wearing herself out, which would only make the situation worse.

"Fine. I'll get some sleep," She told him. And she fully intended to, after she tracked down the doctor and asked him some more questions, gave the nurses her cell phone number and made sure that Thor was able to comfortably spend the night.

"I'll make sure you do," Bucky returned, seeing right through her.

With no other choice, Darcy allowed Bucky to herd her back to the apartment block that Tony had set aside for the Avenger's use. To her surprise instead of turning left at the elevators towards her apartment they went the opposite direction.

_I'm spending the night with him,_ Darcy realized. _Isn't that a step or something?_ She'd read something about this in Cosmo. Immediately she shut down the inappropriate thought. There was no steps happening between them, because they weren't a couple and therefore weren't going anywhere. It was what it was. With weariness beating at her heavily, Darcy crawled in Bucky's bed and fell asleep before she could give the matter too much thought.

* * *

Bucky decided to take the couch that night. Being close to Darcy had an effect on him that he couldn't control and what he'd have in mind if he got in that bed was the last complication she needed tonight. At the very least she was safe and resting. The memory of the explosion yesterday made his heart seize with fear, just remembering. Somehow in a very short time he'd gone from having no emotional ties to … this, whatever it was.

He couldn't definitively say that he was in love with Darcy, but he'd never felt anything like this before. Ever since that night he'd felt a connection to her that he couldn't escape. Somehow she'd managed to breach the walls around his well-protected heart and claim it. Intuitively he knew that telling her this would scare her, but she had a right to know how he felt. They'd work through whatever happened afterwards, Bucky promised himself.

* * *

**Please leave me a review. (They make my day!)**


	7. Chapter 7

**I have been pleasantly surprised with all the activity on this story. Thank You to all of my followers, reviewers and those who favorited the story. You're all awesome!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own the Avengers. Don't own Marvel. Technically, I don't even own my car, it belongs to my parents.**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

Ring! Ring! _Riiiinnngggg!_

Bucky grabbed his pillow and stuffed his head under it, blocking out the telephone's blaring.

_Ring! Ring! RIIIINNNNNGGGG!_

He should answer that. It was very important that he pick up this call. Why? His sleep addled mind didn't remember.

Jane.

Jane was in a coma and Darcy was worried. The call was probably about Jane. Bucky shot up, lunged for the receiver, managing to knock it out of the cradle and onto the floor. Fumbling, he overshot his reach, slipped off the couch and banged his head on the corner of the end table.

_Smooth, dumbass _Bucky cursed himself. Finally he managed to get ahold of the phone and answered as calmly as he could, "Bucky Barnes."

"Mr. Barnes, this is Anna, I'm one of Dr. Jane Foster's nurses. I'm calling to let you and Ms. Lewis know that Dr. Foster has just woken up. Right now she's still being examined, but everything seems to be in order. She's indicated that she knows who she is, where she is and recalls her personal information."

"That's awesome," Bucky said, stunned. It felt almost too good to be true.

"Those are all good signs and she'll be allowed two visitors after the doctors are finished examining her. The information I was given indicates Ms. Lewis is one of the approved visitors if she can come down. Dr. Foster has asked to see her."

"I'll bring her down in a few minutes." The nurse thanked him and hung up.

Bucky tossed the phone in the general direction of the couch and sprinted to the bedroom to wake Darcy. As soon as the door opened, she woke up. Stirring, the brunette pushed a chunk of hair out of her face and stretched.

"Jane's awake."

Darcy froze, one arm extended the other pulled over her shoulder. "Awake?" She repeated.

"Awake, answering questions, and she asked to see you."

Without pausing, Darcy leaped out of the bed, didn't so much as grab her shoes, and charged for the door.

"Hey!" Bucky protested, following her into the living room.

"What?" Darcy demanded, with one hand on the door.

"Pants!"

Looking down, Darcy found that, much to her surprise she was half naked. A bundle of cloth hit her in the face. "Yeesh," she muttered.

With a dark expression Bucky glared from across the room. "Wear the pants."

"Will these even fit?" The pair of men's sweats had a draw string waist but Bucky was a stocky build.

"They'd better."

It almost sounded like he was being possessive, but Darcy elected not to analyze his actions. Going down a path to nowhere would be stupid. People sometimes thought she was an airhead, but when push came to shove, Darcy Lewis was a realist. Tonight may have been nice but it wasn't reality. Reality was when she did her job on her level of the tower and he did in a whole different floor, so far away it might as well have been another planet. That was a good way of looking at it. Bucky lived on Jupiter, with all the cool people and Darcy lived on Pluto, where her life was a hot mess and she held a job totally unrelated to her degree but loved it anyway. Her life was nice and it didn't need changing; her life did not need complications. Bucky would be a very large complication, and she did not, in any way, in any from, need that type of complication.

They ascended to the medical floor in the elevator, which took about a million times longer than usual. Darcy was proud that she didn't run, merely speed walked to Jane's sliding door. Ignoring the doctors inside, she entered. Jane had her back to her.

"What is your mother's maiden name?" An elegant greying man in scrubs posed the question.

Darcy edged next to Thor, not wanting to interrupt. There must have been half a dozen doctors in the room.

"How's she doing?" Darcy whispered. To maintain their private conversation Thor dropped his head down to her level.

"Fantastic. She doesn't remember much of what happened in the stairwell, but that's common with all head injuries."

Thor had probably seen enough head injuries in his line of work to know what he was talking about, so Darcy just nodded.

"Jane will be fine, Lady Darcy."

Uncomfortable, Darcy twisted her hands. Was she that transparent?

"You cannot hide your concern, my friend. It is a good trait for a person to have. Honest friends are gems to be prized above all riches, when most others would seek to deceive."

"Thank you," Darcy whispered past an unexpected lump in her throat. Thor clasped her shoulder tightly and resumed his close watch on the doctors.

"You've come out of this quite well, Dr. Foster. My only recommendation is that you take it easy for the next few days and call us if anything flares up, especially migraines or blurry vision, but I think we can check you out tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Jane asked the grey haired doctor.

"We need to observe you over night and do a series of MRI scans still but I'm sure you'll be out of here bright and early tomorrow morning."

"Alright. I understand." Jane's displeasure was evident and the doctor smiled.

"It'll go by fast," He assured and breezed out of the room in a flash of white coat tails, followed by an entourage of medical staff.

Thor exited behind them, leaving Darcy alone with Jane. At the sound of the door sliding shut she turned and spotted Darcy.

Suddenly Darcy was nervous. Butterflies quivered in her stomach as Jane looked her over with a grave concentration. The close inspection made the butterflies multiply and Darcy found herself moistening her chapped lips with her tongue.

"What?" Darcy demanded when it finally became too uncomfortable to tolerate.

"Oh, thank heaven above!" Jane exclaimed, collapsing into the mattress.

"I don't follow your logic," Darcy pointed out. What if this was a side effect from her coma? "I should grab the doctor again. Are you having any symptoms?"

_Dumb question. She wouldn't know if she was having a hallucination or something. _

"I'm not sick! I'm fine! They wouldn't tell me anything about you. I remembered a flash of you just before I blacked out. You were all dirty and there was blood on your face! I thought you might be dead." Jane covered her eyes, groaning. "Then it was all these stupid questions. When's your birthday, how old are you? They totally ignored my demands and wouldn't let Thor in a first."

"I bet that didn't last long," Darcy joked. Jane choked out a laugh and uncovered her eyes.

"No. No it didn't." Light brown eyes met blue. "Thank God you're okay. I didn't know what I'd do without you, Dacre."

"You're a genius. You'd have figured something out."

"Don't do that. I'd have been crippled for life and I mean it." Jane had gone from frazzled and distraught to intense in less than a half second. Her eyes were bright and her entire body radiated a tension that filled the room. Darcy couldn't look away.

"You're my lab assistant, but you run the whole place and somehow manage to keep my head on straight while doing it. You force feed me when I forget to eat, make me go outside when I've been in my lab for days straight, and sneak me decaf coffee when I'm a step away from a caffeine over dose. I can tell the difference," Jane said, cutting off Darcy's dissension. "What I'm trying to say is that you're my best friend and having you in my life every single day is a gift and I've never said that before. I thought I'd never get the chance about an hour ago when those pompous idiots wouldn't answer a damn question straight."

Darcy didn't know what to say, so she dazedly stood there, rooted to the spot.

"I love you, Darcy and you're the best friend I've ever had."

Darcy came back to herself. "I love you, too, Jane."

When Jane reached out Darcy threw herself at the older woman. If they cried a little, or a lot, neither would ever admit it.

* * *

"She's a strong woman isn't she?" Bucky had heard Thor approach, but hadn't expected him to speak to him. The Avengers were starting to accept him, but he was still fighting the stigma from Hydra.

"Jane's really managed to pull through," Bucky replied.

"That's not the strong woman I was talking about."

Right. He wanted to talk about Darcy. Bucky was relatively sure that Thor didn't know what had happened between him and Darcy. Steve, Tony and he were the only people who had any idea that there had been a one night stand. Steve didn't even know who the girl had been. There was no way Tony would tell Thor because the Asgardian thought of her as a little sister. Tony could be a jackass, but there were some boundaries he didn't dare breech.

"Yeah," Bucky said noncommittally. He kept his tone bland and even.

Thor laughed, jovially slapping the counter of the nurse's station they were standing next to. Bucky jumped slightly at the pop when Thor's large hand met the laminate. He glared at the man, annoyed.

"What's your problem, giggles?"

"You think I am a fool, but you're the one standing around making gooey eyes in the hall, for everyone that has eyes to see."

Self-consciously, Bucky shifted. He wasn't making gooey eyes. Nobody had noticed.

One look at Thor's smirk and he realized he was caught with his foot in a trap.

"I don't know what you're talking about." _Play dumb, deny everything, _Bucky resolved.

"You and Lady Darcy are in love."

"We barely know each other, how can we be in love?"

"I didn't say that you knew her, did I, I said that you loved her," Thor pointed out. Bucky rolled his eyes.

"It's almost the same thing. I can't love someone I don't know."

"I believe the look on your face when no one's looking more than I believe your silver tongued deceptions."

"Are you calling me a liar," Bucky demanded, facing Thor down.

"Point blank," Thor responded calmly. He leaned back against the counter top and rested his elbows on the ledge. "But I suppose you've probably deceived yourself as well, so it's not a mark against your character."

Bucky itched to punch the blonde man, just to put an end to this ludicrous conversation.

"What are you going to do about this," Thor asked. Subtlety, his demeanor had changed when he posed the question. The sky blue eyes were a shade narrower, his shoulders tensed slightly, and he removed his arms from the counter, crossing them seriously.

Bucky's mind wouldn't supply anymore excuses and the sordid truth slipped out. "I don't know."

Thor smiled openly. "That's a start, Soldier."

"Is it?" Bucky asked him. "Darcy doesn't want to be loved. She pushes people away, me included. I haven't told her anything and she's still backing off of me, like she can sense it. Telling her how I feel will destroy any kind of relationship we could have."

"Telling her how you feel will force her to deal with it. If you don't shake up her world a little she'll get away with edging you out. Love is a gift and you shouldn't deny it to her just because she might reject it. You'll lose her completely if you aren't truthful."

* * *

**Please review. Pretty please, with whipped cream and a cherry on top?**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** I am very sorry for the long hiatus. I can only say that school got out of hand, so I prioritized it over everything else. But I will finish this story if it's the last thing I do!

**Disclaimer:** Don't own anything

* * *

Chapter 8

Darcy spent the day with Jane, relaxing. They watched a couple movies on the expensive TV Stark had installed in all of the private hospital's rooms, until Thor came down from the Avenger's floor. After introducing Thor to the TV show Once Upon A Time, she and Jane showed him how to play gin rummy before visiting hours ended. Darcy handed Thor her cards, since he was allowed to stay the night, and made him promise not to lose to an invalid. He swore on his honor to crush Jane.

Darcy found herself alone in the elevator, going down to her floor and feeling hollow. She'd had a fantastic day with her best friend, Darcy thought. Shouldn't she feel happy? But today had been draining. Jane waking up had been a profound relief, but Darcy was feeling restless. With a chime the elevator doors slid open and Darcy stepped out into the hall. The doors slid shut behind her and she heard the elevator whoosh off.

_I don't want to go home and sit alone_, she realized.

She was feeling a million emotions right now and couldn't sort out any of them. She felt unsettled because something was going on between her and Bucky. There was something between them that was more than a fling, she admitted. It scared her and made her anxious, because a man like Bucky wasn't going to let that go – he'd push and she wasn't sure she could hold him off. At the same time she felt all of that she was running on a giddy high of relief that Jane was alive, plus some residual fear from the attack that hadn't quite left her.

And she didn't want to be alone.

_That's not such a bad thing. You're only human_, she reassured herself. But where to go? Thor and Jane were busy with each other. Eric was in Sweden on a consulting thing and Pepper, who she'd come to count as a close friend, was in Los Angeles on business. Tony was an option but Darcy didn't really want his brand of sarcasm right now even if his heart was in the right place. Unconsciously her eyes turned left towards Bucky's apartment.

_No!_ Her logical side shouted. _It's dangerous!_

Darcy's indulgent side figured that people had to spoil themselves occasionally in this life. Tonight she'd go work out her emotions by jumping Bucky's bones. Tomorrow, everything would go back to normal and she'd pretend it had never happened. A fool proof plan she decided, starting down the hall.

After knocking a few times, the door to the apartment swung open, revealing a shirtless Bucky. He'd obviously been asleep and with one hand, he rubbed the grit from his eyes before focusing on her.

_Yum_, was the first thought across Darcy's mind.

"Shouldn't you be in bed by now?" Bucky asked, with a menacing scowl.

Darcy hadn't considered that she might not be welcome. Reality hit her like a cold bucket of ice water. They'd agreed to a one night stand and nothing more. Just because he saved her didn't mean he wanted anything more from her than a roll in the sheets. After all, he was a hero and she was a lowly intern. She shouldn't be here.

"Yeah," Darcy said numbly, falling back a step. You're an idiot, her mind hissed. "I'm sorry I woke you up."

* * *

Bucky took in the pale face and hurt eyes and realized he'd made a mistake. At the same time she turned from the doorway to leave him. Lunging forward, he cut in front of her and blocked her path.

"I didn't mean that you should go, only that it's late and you haven't slept much the past few days and you need your rest." The hasty explanation didn't go over as he'd planned though. Darcy's blue eyes stared at him with something that was uncomfortably close to sorrow.

"I shouldn't have come here. I'm sorry," She said flatly.

"Stay," Bucky demanded, not allowing her to chance to reply.

He nearly dragged the woman into his apartment and didn't let go of her even when they were seated on the couch. Instead he pulled her onto his lap, reclined back and cradled her against him. They fit together perfectly. For a moment the woman in his lap seemed like she didn't know what to do. Then, as if coming to a decision, Darcy relaxed against him and laid her head on his shoulder, giving a soft sigh. Bucky's arms contracted around her, pulling her tighter against him. They sat like that in silence for several long minutes, holding each other.

"How's Jane doing?" Bucky asked softly.

"She's good, really good," Darcy said as a lump inexplicably rose in her throat.

"Hey, don't cry," He protested, hearing the tears in her voice.

Swallowing thickly, she tried to push back the sudden emotions but found she couldn't. She clamped her jaw shut against the sobs, only to have a muffled whimper escape. Bucky swore.

"It's okay, honey. Everything's going to be fine. Jane's fine, you're fine…..everyone's fine."

Darcy grabbed the tissue box from the end table, realizing that the only way out was through. Her body had decided that they were going to have cry and it didn't matter what she wanted.

"I'm sorry," She gasped out between sobs several minutes later, dashing at tears with a Kleenex.

"I'm not," Bucky said. He'd given up trying to console her a long time ago, and settled into a rhythm of rubbing her back and cuddling her against him.

Darcy let out a snort at Bucky's ridiculous statement. He'd been dragged out of bed only to have her cry all over him; he was definitely regretting not ignoring her knock. She almost wished that he'd ignored her knock, because if she'd known she was going to humiliate herself like this, she'd have gone to her own apartment.

"I mean it," he insisted, cupping her chin to turn her face towards him. His blue eyes locked with her bloodshot ones. "You shouldn't have to cry alone."

"Thank you," Darcy whispered.

Bucky didn't say anything in reply but pulled her head down to his shoulder and ran his hand through her hair. After a few minute he broke the silence.

"I'm glad you finally processed what happened."

Darcy groaned. "Let's just forget the last ten minutes ever happened. Can we do that?"

"The first time I killed someone I cried every night for a week straight and thought about killing myself."

Bucky's confession startled her. Shifting to face him she stared into his serious eyes, wondering if she'd heard him correctly. Her mind spun with a million different questions.

"When was that?" Darcy asked.

"I was twenty one years old. We were in Brittany, France and I was still excited to be in the war."

His lips turned up in a melancholy smile that only somewhat pained.

"War is never real until you see someone die. I still remember the date- August 26, 1944. My life changed that day but if I hadn't pulled the trigger the German soldier in front of me would have pulled his. So in the end I decided to be a survivor. Just like you did when you moved on from what happened and found another way to finish your degree, with Jane. You didn't give up either. But breaking down sometimes happens before you get to that place, so don't be ashamed."

A silence fell again while Darcy considered his words. He'd sounded like he admired her and she realized that she liked it. The fact that she couldn't be in a traditional relationship didn't mean that she couldn't find other ways to have companionship. Her heart beat a little faster. Maybe he was as broken as she was, maybe he'd want what she offered. No dating, just sex. Cuddling, too. Could it be enough?

"Bucky?"

"Yeah doll?"

"Take me to bed."

* * *

**Please leave a review. They make me so happy!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Disclaimer- this is not mine. **

**Thank you to all my readers for sticking with me this far. Love you guys. **

Chapter 9

Without so much as a pause, Bucky stood from the couch with Darcy in his arms. She loved this part because he didn't so much as miss a step, even though he was carrying her. He would argue the point, but she knew her weight was not a negligible thing. The fact that he was strong enough to lift her so easily was a major turn on, superficial as it was. With a sense of urgency he crossed the living room and took her into his darkened bedroom. The only light in the room came from the wall of windows facing downtown. Bucky set her on her feet, close enough to the bed that the backs of her thighs touched the mattress. But he didn't lay her down like she expected. Instead he gently took off her glasses, carefully folded them and set them on the nightstand. Then he worked the elastic out of her hair, letting it fall around her shoulders. His fingers raked softly through the messy unwashed locks, massaging her scalp before every stroke. She should have showered before coming down here, Darcy thought, feeling the grease in her hair acutely.

"You're perfect, just like this." Bucky must have read her thoughts on her face as he finished finger combing her messy hair.

"Thank you," Darcy said, touched by his sincere compliment.

"You don't believe me, still," He said. Darcy placed her hands on his chest and tilted her head back so that she could look up at him.

"The way you see me isn't how I see myself. You see the good things, like your mind edits out my flaws."

Bucky opened his mouth to object and Darcy covered it with a finger, shaking her head.

"Listen. I know I'm not perfect, but you make me feel beautiful every time you look at me and I couldn't ask for more than that. I think you and me kind of work that way, because I don't see your flaws either."

Shock flickered in his cerulean eyes, before an iciness settled in them. He moved away from the finger that covered his mouth and she let her hand drop back to his solid chest.

"I have one particular fault that should serve as a prominent reminder of all my other flaws," He said bitterly.

It took Darcy a minute to figure out what he meant. Then her eyes fell to the gleaming metal of his bionic arm, and the message was decrypted.

What could she do to make him see that he was more than a killer?

All that she had were her words, but maybe action would make him see sense.

Raising up on her tip toes she pulled his head down and kissed him. Her tongue drove into his mouth forcefully as she poured all the passion she felt for him into the kiss. His arms tightened around her and a rumbly groan came from his throat as she caught his tongue and sucked on it. The taste of him swept through her and she felt her body surging to life. Finally she broke the kiss, sliding her hands over his shoulders and stroking her palm over the cool metal that made up his left arm. He tensed.

Darcy's hand froze. "You can…. You can feel that?"

He hadn't been looking at her hand when she'd caressed his arm so as unlikely as it seemed, he must have felt the light touch.

His lips twisted in a cruel smirk. "It wouldn't be much use if I couldn't feel with it, would it?"

"But Tony said when you first joined the team that it wasn't feasible that your arm would be wholly functional. Your brain waves controlled it but-" abruptly she broke off, embarrassed.

"But?" Bucky prompted.

"I'm so sorry, we shouldn't have been talking about you behind your back." She stared at his chest, refusing to make eye contact. When he'd first joined the Avengers there had been a great deal of discussion about him, and now she was sorry that there had been. Much of it had been vicious gossip and she knew that she'd been listening intently. Now she detested everyone who'd said and thought ill of him, including herself. She had never met the man and she'd had no right to judge him back then. All she'd known about him was a name and a few sparse details. She hadn't even recognized him when they'd met at the hotel bar.

Bucky chuckled. "I hate the thing, but my arm is a mechanical engineering marvel. I'd be surprised if the scientists didn't talk about it."

"Still," Darcy insisted. "It's really none of their business."

"Tony does the tune ups on my arm, so it is his business," Bucky pointed out. "The arm is fully integrated into my nervous system. Inside of the arm are thousands of tiny electrodes that form a fake nervous system. They're so sensitive that they can feel through the metal casings. The electrodes are wired to neural implants in my brain so I can feel everything I'm doing when I go to pick things up without looking. My cybernetic arm is just as easy to use as my real one."

Darcy nodded when Bucky paused, somewhat dazed. From what she could tell his arm was lightyears ahead of what most medical companies were producing. He put the bionic hand to her cheek, letting her feel the cool metal against her warm skin for a moment. His thumb slid under her jaw and he lifted her chin up until she was forced to make eye contact with him.

"Make no mistake though, Darcy. The arm isn't a cool enhancement; it's a weapon. I know everyone thinks it's the neatest thing since sliced bread since I can beat Steve in push up competitions with it, but this arm is a killing machine. That's what it was designed to be and it's what it always will be."

Turning her head, Darcy didn't look away from his gaze as she pressed a kiss to the metal palm of his hand.

"You know what else this killing machine of an arm can do, James Barnes? Save people. Less than forty eight hours ago, you save Jane and I in the stairwell. You saved Tony in the lab when you shut down that machine. I know that just last week you used this arm on a mission. You pulled a car off of a crumbing ledge and saved the family inside of it. This arm is anything you want it to be, because at the end of the day, it's just an inanimate object. You control it, so you decide whether it does good or bad. You're good Bucky. I know you're good because you've worked so hard to come back from everything that was done to you. I can't relate to what you've gone through but I do relate to that feeling. I know what it's like to have to find yourself again, to overcome the anger and disgust you feel at what you've turned into. And I'm standing here telling you it's worth the fight to get back to who you were. You'll never be the same, I know that from experience, but who you can be now will be even better."

Bucky's eyes darkened as the pupils dilated. Before her eyes the civility fell away and the tender man who'd held her and combed out her hair was gone. In his eyes a fire danced, and sexual heat snapped between them like a live wire. The intensity in the air had a shiver running down her spine as she met the sizzling gaze of the predator that stared back at her.

"I want to make you beg, baby," Bucky ground out, his voice rough with lust. His hands slid down her waist and landed on her hips where they kneaded the flesh in a firm rhythm. One knee slid between her legs, forcing her them apart and bringing her most intimate region in contact with his thigh. He rubbed against her and even through the layers of cloth separating them she moaned at the friction. "Are you ready for that, Darcy?"

"Yes," She gasped.

As soon as the words left her mouth, he grasped her by the shoulders and pushed her backwards onto the bed. His heavy weight settled over her and their mouths twined together, dancing for dominance. Desperate, Darcy peeled off her shirt and began working on the clasp of her jeans. Quickly Bucky took over, ridding her of the jeans and panties at the same time, and jerking off his sweats in the following movement. Before she could process his intent, his cybernetic hand grasped the front of her bra, and he twisted it. The reinforced material was no match for advanced robotics. It gave instantly, exposing her to his hungry stare.

With both hands braced by her sides, Bucky hung over her. He looked at her like she was a thick juicy steak and he was a half-starved wolf, poised to devour. The fierce gaze roving over her body felt like a touch and the peaks of her breast tightened in response.

"Beautiful," He finally whispered, lowering his head to her breast.

He wasn't gentle, nipping the pink bud between his teeth and lashing it with his wicked tongue before he sucked hard. The intense sensation made her whimper and she grasped his head to her, refusing to let it stop. He obliged, teasing her nipple with the tip of his tongue. Darcy cried out and clenched her thighs together as the sensations traveled straight to her core. The movement caught Bucky's attention, and he laughed, the sound mischievous.

"You're burning up already and I don't care. I'm going to take my sweet time, girl. You'll be a wet, begging, thrashing mess before I give you what you want. Even then, I might make you wait so I can enjoy the view for a few minutes."

"Bucky," Darcy pleaded, lifting her hips and scissoring her legs to find the pressure she needed. His words had stroked the fire inside of her to a flashpoint. If he'd touch her where she wanted it most right now, she'd go off like a rocket.

"No." His voice was resolute. Looking up at his unyielding expression, Darcy realized that she'd unleashed a force of nature. Having this man in her bed would be like weathering a tornado every single time. There was a wildness inside of him that he let take the reins when he made love to her.

"I love having you like this. Your skin is so fair the blush goes down your chest and your skin is glowing. So desperate and needy that you can't hold still and we've only just begun."

His head dropped to the other breast and Darcy cried in earnest as he treated it to the same experience the other had just endured. Each stoke, nibble and bite sent lightning straight to her center and her inner muscles began clenching and unclenching as an orgasm built.

"Please, I need you. I need you now!" She begged him. He ignored her, but moved away from her breast and licked his way down her stomach. The path he took was meandering and he circled her belly button twice, deviating towards the hollow of her hip and thigh at the last second.

"Not there," she objected as he stroked his hands over her thighs lightly, making every nerve in her lower body come to throbbing to life.

"Tell me where. Tell me what you want me to do," Bucky said darkly, daring her with his eyes.

"Put your mouth on my clit, you jackass!" Darcy snapped when his hand caressed her just below her belly, firm enough to send fire streaking to her pussy.

"Did you just call me a jackass? I might get offended and leave, you know. I'm sensitive."

"Get your mouth on me or I'll get my vibrator."

Bucky didn't bother to feign offense. He smirked. "Your vibrator can't do what I can do."

"Prove it," Darcy spat when he parted her cleft and blew lightly over her clit, teasing her.

He fastened onto her nub with no warning, making her hips jerk violently. Her hands fisted in the sheets as she scrambled for an anchor against the onslaught of sensations. It was too much and not enough all at once. Bucky drove her crazy, keeping her on the edge using his teeth, lips, and that naughty, talented, tongue.

"Bucky. Bucky. Oh, please. I can't take it. I need to-" She screamed.

He drew her into his mouth, suckling on her without mercy. Darcy screeched and struggled against him for more friction. Just a little more pressure. She ground against his mouth and felt her whole body pulsing as blood rushed through her and her heart beat wildly. In that moment she was totally consumed with sensual need, willing to do whatever he wanted just so she could come.

Bucky pulled his mouth from her and she sobbed, real tears pooling in her eyes.

"So hot, like a ball of fire in my arms," he praised as his fingers found her hard, throbbing clit and rubbed it. "Ask. Say the words, beg me for it."

"Please let me come! I need you!"

"Good girl," He hissed through clenched teeth, right before he slid two fingers inside of her and curled them, dipping his head back down to her clit.

Darcy's mouth opened on a scream that froze in her vocal cords. Her whole body clenched, every muscle contracted and behind her eyelids, light exploded. It so intense it was anguish and pleasure at the same time. Finally the scream broke free as her body bowed under what felt like its millionth contraction, filling the room. Without regard for her over sensitized body, Bucky didn't stop his ministrations and kept licking her. As soon as one orgasm was over, she dissolved into another when he twisted his fingers insistently, swirling them steadily against the most sensitive part of her pussy. This time she shrieked the second the orgasm struck her, thrashing under him as he pinned her down with heavy arms. Finally it abated and she lay helplessly limp, watching as he rose over her and reached in the drawer for a condom.

Relaxed and sated she allowed him to slide his hands under her hips and move her into a better position. Drained of all energy, she lay sprawled while he slid into her dampness with care. The intrusion was eased by the wetness her orgasm had left, but her body felt deliciously full. Against all odds, her nerve endings crackled back to life. She panted as he slid even deeper.

"Bucky," she whimpered, placing her hands on his forearms where he was braced over her.

"Relax," He murmured, just as her body tightened up, protesting the invasion. Reaching between them he strummed the excessively stimulated nerve endings above her entrance. Pleasure so extreme it was almost pain shot through her. He slid in another inch and Darcy cried out.

"It's not…" she began to protest. He rocked his hips back and then slid comfortably home when she opened effortlessly for him. They fit seamlessly. Bucky groaned, low and raw as their eyes met and electricity arced between them. Her inner muscles clamped down reflexively.

Rearing back, Bucky rose onto his knees and lifted her effortlessly with him, keeping their bodies joined. His hands cupped her butt, holding her off the bed. Sliding so far back he almost left her, Bucky paused for a moment and then slammed into her roughly. It was wild, passionate and almost violent in its intensity. Darcy was blindsided by the fierce climax that crashed over her, making her leg muscles shake and her head spin. All she could do was surrender to the brutal waves of pleasure that came one after the other, relentlessly. Bucky bellowed her name and shook as he finally found his own release.

Like a living blanket, the dark haired man sprawled over her, comforting her in his warmth. She could feel the hard beating of his heart against her chest and reveled in it until he found the strength to move off of her much too soon. He slid out of her and she groaned.

"Are you okay?" Bucky asked, frowning down at her.

"Way better than okay," Darcy reassured. "Just sensitive. Really freaking sensitive."

A naughty smile broke over the worried expression, transforming his face. "Sorry about that, kitten."

"No you're not," Darcy snorted. Bucky dealt with the brief cleanup and came back to the bed, wrapping his arms around her. Tucked against him, Darcy felt surrounded, but in a good way. In his embrace she felt safe, protected and treasured. His fingers drew soothing little circles on her stomach and she felt her eyelids grow heavy. Weariness stole over her and she dropped off to sleep.

* * *

**Please Review. I live off of reviews. Also, I listen to ideas, so there's that too. (Is that bribing? Give me your thoughts. Okay, that last one was a hook.)**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: To everyone who has supported this story and encouraged me to keep on writing: THANK YOU! The fanfiction community is the best! Your reviews, follows and favorites make me very happy. Keep writing, keep reviewing and keep reading. **

** Disclaimer: I do not own Thor or Captain America.**

Chapter 10

_What on earth am I doing in the gym when I have a soft warm woman in my bed_, Bucky wondered as he set the barbell back into its rack with a clang.

Sweat was pouring off of him as he entered the second hour of his work out. He'd ran fourteen miles and then started in on the weights. His left arm didn't need any work, so his right arm was just about numb from all the reps he'd put it through. Yet somehow, after all the physical exertion, he still didn't have his head on straight. There was a very good reason he was down here losing his mind and torturing himself. Tonight, he'd realized something, something that he couldn't get out of his head, no matter how he abused his body.

He was in love with Darcy.

It should have been impossible. HYDRA had trained him to feel nothing. They had erected walls inside of his mind and in his heart that should have blocked out all emotion, especially one as powerful as love. Moreover, he hadn't really known Darcy for that long. All he really knew about her was that they had amazing chemistry together. He knew he respected her, admired her courage and her warmth, but he didn't truly know her. What was her favorite color? What type of magazines did she like? What foods did she like and what foods did she hate? Did she shower in the morning or at night?

He didn't know her. Thor's words echoed in his mind.

_I didn't say that you knew her, did I, I said that you loved her._

He swore aloud, spiting a vulgar word at the empty room. Sweat stung his eyes and he rubbed it away, feeling very tired all of a sudden. What did he do from here?

He couldn't tell her, because she'd run from him. Darcy would run like a scared rabbit because she didn't trust love. Bucky could sense that about her the same way old men could sense thunderstorms by the ache in their joints. And that was the one thing he didn't think he could live with. Hopelessness took hold. He couldn't tell her he loved her. It would scare her half to death. The mere thought of Darcy's eyes looking at him with fear and her turning away from him made him sick to the stomach.

His woman had been hurt too much already.

_I can't cause her more pain, _Bucky thought. Another voice in his head rejected the thought. Love didn't hurt. Isolation hurt, words could hurt, bitterness could hurt and loss hurt more than any of those things. But love, real love, fixed everything. It washed away the pain and sorrow, making you whole again.

His heart twisted at the thought that his love could fix Darcy but she might not accept it. Hatred surged for the man- if he could be called that- who had inflicted the emotional wounds she suffered. Bucky's fingers closed around the metal bar, and he pumped the weight up and down, not bothering to count the repetitions. He finally stopped when his arm began to burn.

"Mr. Barnes, Miss Lewis is requesting to know where you are. Captain Rogers has asked me to not inform anyone of your whereabouts without your permission. May I inform her of your location? She has expressed concern for you."

"Tell her where I am, and that I'm on my way up," Bucky said, grabbing a towel to wipe the sweat from his face.

"Very well," The AI responded.

* * *

Bucky arrived back at his apartment within minutes and found the bedroom empty.

However, in the background he could hear the shower running assuring him that she was still there. Peeling off his sweat soaked clothes Bucky strode in to join her. Opening the door to the oversized shower he froze for a moment, staring at her. Her back was to him and her head was thrown back, allowing the water to spray her throat. The long curly hair was streaming down to her hips in this position, straightened by the water. His eyes followed the lines of her body, taking in the curves of her lush bottom half and the surprisingly long legs, given her height.

"Care to join me, or are you just going to let the heat escape?"

And there was that sassy mouth again. Not bothering to respond, Bucky stepped inside and grabbed her by the waist, spinning her into the wall. A gasp escaped her lips at the unexpectedly aggressive move. Bucky watched her reaction closely and smiled when her eyes dilated. Pressing himself closer, he deliberately crowded her space, towering over her. She tilted her head all the way back to meet his eyes because he had about a foot on her. His hands touched her arms and his touch burned her as he slid them up to her shoulders and then finally twined them in her hair. Using the thick mane of hair to hold her head firmly in place, he took her mouth.

Licking, nibbling and teasing her, Bucky dominated her mouth. If his touch had burned her, his kiss scorched every nerve ending she had. Under his sensual attack she moaned, unable to disguise her enthusiastic response. Her body melted into his as some vital part deep inside of her recognized a change in him. There was a seriousness to their interaction that hadn't been there before. He was desperate, Darcy recognized when he finally broke the kiss and her brain restarted.

Sliding his hands under her he lifted her so that she was forced to wrap her legs around him for balance. A callused hand covered her breast, teasing the hardened nipple. He pinched it sending streaks of pleasure racing through her body.

"Bucky," Darcy whimpered, arching her back involuntarily.

"I'm right here," he whispered, lowering his head to her throat. He nipped the skin there, sucking it into his mouth and then soothing the mark with his tongue. Moving up from her neck he kissed along her jaw line. The delicate touch of his lips to the sensitive under skin of her chin contrasted harshly with the strong fingers pulling and tweaking her breasts. The juxtaposition was driving her crazy.

"Please, damn it," She begged, rolling her hips against him as her center grew wetter.

Slowly one of his hands glided down her water slickened body to between her legs. He pressed his thumb hard against her clit and she bucked against him, crying out. In response Bucky pressed her harder against the wall so she couldn't move at all. Shifting she tried to grind against his thumb but he held her firm, using the cybernetic arm to his advantage.

He played with her, making her moan and whimper. Soon every other word from her lips was a plea. Clever fingers tortured her most sensitive part as he worked her into a frenzy. Breath came in pants for her now and a scream built in her lungs as he rubbed her harder.

"More! I need more, please, I can't- Ah!"

With no warning he sank two fingers inside of her, without pausing the ministrations of his thumb. She came hard, with a high pitched scream. Her body bowed, every muscle flexing and twitching. Shaking arms clutched his shoulders and Darcy buried her face into Bucky's shoulder, needing a moment to compose herself. He seemed to understand that and cupped the back of her head, simply holding her.

"Amazing," she said, pulling back after a moment.

His blue eyes sparkled with mischief and heat. "The main event is yet to come."

Darcy was lowered to her feet when he sat her back down, reaching out of the shower for a condom and quickly donning it. This time he dragged her out of the spray to the back of the shower and settled her one the bench long seat. Leaning over her he forced her to lie back on the wide seat, pinning her down with his weight. He took possession of her body, driving inside of her wild and fast. In minutes she found herself riding out another orgasm, seconds before he began to tremble, thrusting jerkily.

They lay together in the aftermath, him covering her with his body and her clinging to him, unable to let go. Something had changed. She didn't know what it was but for an unknown reason, Darcy was scared. Unconsciously her arms tightened around Bucky, pulling him closer. He made a satisfied noise and pressed a kiss to her cheek, hugging her back.

"Should I move?" He asked.

"No. You feel good. Warm."

He hummed in agreement. A few moments later though, he pushed himself off of her and disappeared for a second, presumably taking care of clean up. Darcy lounged on the bench, relishing her lax muscles. Nothing could make her move right now. She was one with the bench and intended to stay that way. The shower door reopened and Bucky returned, so she cracked her eyes open, watching him wash up. In a remarkably short amount of time he'd finished and rinsed. Turning off the water he propped open the door and took two towels from the rack. One he wrapped around his lean hips, much to her disappointment. The other was for her, she realized as he returned to the shower with it.

Ugh. No. She wasn't moving. She'd happily sleep on this bench, even if it was becoming a little uncomfortable.

"Come on," Bucky cajoled, pulling her up from her seat and wrapping the towel around her. "Let's get you dried off and back in bed. You can sleep as late as you want, it's Saturday."

That sounded nice, so she followed him out, and let him prop her up as he buffed her dry with the fluffy towel. When he was done he dropped the towel on the ground and carried her bridal style to the bed where she curled up by his side.

* * *

_That didn't go to plan_, Bucky thought hours later when he awoke. The clock read 5:53 a.m. He stretched out on to his back, stared at the ceiling and wondered what to do from here. The only thing that he was sure of was that he couldn't keep this secret inside of him. He'd tell her, he promised himself. He'd tell her today.

Next to him Darcy stirred, curling into a tighter ball and mumbling something in her sleep. Bucky watched her as she wiggled a little, adjusting herself. After a few more minutes of watching her toss and turn he decided to go get breakfast started. Padding to the kitchen, Bucky dug out the griddle and found pancake mix in his pantry. Setting to work, he mixed the batter and then put on a pot of coffee. Sure enough, as soon as the smell of coffee began to waft through the apartment, Darcy emerged from the bedroom. Her hair stuck up at odd angles and her eyes were slightly puffy. Bucky thought she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. She ignored him, heading straight for the coffee maker.

"Ambrosia from God," She said, taking her first sip with a contented sigh. "Do you want a cup?"

"Yeah," Bucky agreed, flipping the pancakes one last time. "How many pancakes do you want?"

"Two's good," Darcy said. She poured him a mug and handed it to him before she perched herself at the barstools. From his position she made it a point to ogle his chest, propping her head up with her hand, twirling her hair around her finger and running her eyes all over him.

"Like the view?" He teased.

"Love the view. If Avenging doesn't work out, you could make a mint as a male stripper."

"They have those?"

Darcy snickered. "Welcome to the twenty first century."

Bucky served up the pancakes and joined her at the breakfast bar. They ate in companionable silence until Darcy leaned back and groaned, patting her stomach.

"I do love a man who can cook," She said with a grin. His heart skipped a beat even though he knew it was only an expression. Without waiting for him to respond, she gathered up the dishes and began to rinse them off in the sink.

"You don't have to do that," Bucky said.

"You cooked, it's only fair," Darcy argued as he came around the counter.

"Fine. I'll load, you rinse."

Just like that they began to work in tandem and the messy kitchen was quickly put to rights.

"So," Darcy hedged as she scrubbed at the counter with a wet rag. "I've been thinking…."

"Hmmm," Bucky murmured, leaning against the counter next to her and watching her closely.

There was a light flush on her cheeks and she was keeping her gaze firmly on the granite where she focused on polishing away an imaginary spot.

"I was wondering if we shouldn't make this arrangement, you know, a little more, uh, formal?" It came out as a question rather than a statement.

Bucky felt his shoulders tense. Was it possible that she felt the same way he did? Could he really be so lucky?

"I mean," Darcy continued, "We keep falling into bed together and it's been really great."

"I agree," Bucky said automatically. Their attraction was off the charts.

"Awesome!" She exclaimed, finally stopping with the washing. "So, friends with benefits?"

Bucky stared at her blankly.

"Friends with what?"

"You know, friends who hook up randomly because they don't want to sleep around. There's no real commitment, or monogamy, it's like a causal relationship. Focused mainly on sex of course."

She looked so damn hopeful, staring at him with her eyes sparking and a sunny smile on her lush mouth. Bucky felt like he'd been slapped in the face. Casual? He was supposed to tolerate the idea that she could hop straight from his bed into a stranger's, and it would be squarely within the bounds of their relationship? Red edged into his vision. When he finally found his voice it was gravely with rage.

"No."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Inhaling through his nose, Bucky took a deep breath and tried to think clearly. Anger made his heart race and his thoughts were jumbled by the adrenaline flooding his system. _It's all or nothing, _he thought to himself. _I either have her or I don't. _

"I'll just go, then." Darcy said, sounding hurt. "I shouldn't have thought you'd want me for anything more than one night."

She tossed the wet rag into the sink and turned to walk away. Bucky snapped back to reality, realizing that she was leaving. Without thought, he lunged for her and caught her by the elbow.

"Damn it, Darcy! That's not what I meant!" Stepping in front of her, Bucky blocked her from the exit.

"Then what could you possibly mean," Darcy snapped, her voice breaking on the last word. "The fact that you don't want to see me anymore was pretty well implied!"

He slid a hand under her chin and turned her face up to him. His heart seized when he saw the tears welling in her stormy eyes. She looked devastated. Momentarily Bucky was staggered by the realization that a simple word from him could cause her so much pain. Then Darcy tried to jerk her arm away from him. Bucky kept his grip more out of habit than anything else but it set Darcy's temper off. Infuriated, she kicked at him, a poorly aimed blow that he easily avoided.

"Calm down," Bucky barked in agitation.

"Let me go!" Darcy hollered.

"No! Would you just listen to me?!"

"I listened alright! You don't want me, but you want me to listen to your stupid drawn out explanation of why you don't want me. I am not going to listen to a damn word you say. Screw you, jackass!"

"I want you more than I want to breathe!" Bucky shouted back. Darcy stopped fighting, and went still in his arms.

"What?" she gasped.

Finally having her attention, Bucky repeated his earlier words, this time softer. "I want you."

"But not for anything more than one night," Darcy said dejectedly.

"I want you for the rest of my life, woman," he snarled. "I want you in my bed every morning and every night. I want days with you, evenings, afternoons... I want everything you have to give."

There was a moment of silence. In that moment he almost began to hope.

"I can't," Darcy whimpered. "I can't, I'm sorry. I can't have a permanent relationship- it'll end up hurting both of us."

"Yes, you can," Bucky insisted, desperately.

He opened his mouth, ready to finally say the three words he'd been planning on, when an alarm pierced the shrill wail of the Avengers alert system filled the apartment, calling the team to assemble. Surprised by the noise, his arms had gone lax around her and Darcy wiggled free of his grip. Without a backwards glance she took off towards the door. His heart felt shattered, but he wouldn't give up without putting everything on the line.

"I love you," Bucky said, loud enough to be heard over the alarm. With one hand on the door knob Darcy froze in place. "Did you hear me?" he demanded. "I love you. I don't want a hook up, I want a relationship with you, forever."

Darcy turned slightly, watching him from over her shoulder with suspicion. Her eyes were panicked, and he knew it was because of him, but he kept going. "I love you Darcy, and if you need to hear it every day for the next seventy years, I'll say it every single day. I love you."

The door to his apartment was wrenched open and she left.

Bucky remained rooted in the middle of the kitchen staring after her as the alarms continued to blare. After a long moment, he collected himself, grabbed his gear bag and headed up to the helipad to meet the team. He felt like his life was over, but that didn't mean there weren't people to protect.

**~o~**

* * *

Darcy bolted from the apartment, not even aware of where she was going. On instinct she by passed the elevator and took the stairs. Running down was easier than running up, so she went down. A driving need to get away was riding her and there was nothing she could do to stop the fight or flight response.

He loved her. He loved her. He couldn't love her. She wasn't worth it.

She ran until she couldn't run anymore and finally stopped somewhere around the fifteenth floor. Darcy choked on a sob and collapsed, leaning over and bracing her hands on her knees. She hadn't run that hard since track practice sophomore year of high school. Her muscles felt like Jell-O after sprinting down thirty flights of stairs and she was fighting to stay upright. Dropping into a sitting position on the steps she laced her fingers behind her head and tried to take steady even breaths. That helped some and the frazzled woman began to calm, until she remembered what had happened to get her into this state. Then tears came.

The crying didn't last long because she was so exhausted from running, but it left her with a runny nose and a headache. Scooting over she leaned her temple against the cold stone of the stairwell and let its icy temperature soothe the pounding in her skull.

_Damn it_, Darcy thought. _Why did he have to do that?_

Why couldn't he just accept her without condition? Bucky had been perfect for her, until he'd fallen in love with her. She could never be with someone she loved. Darcy knew she couldn't give them enough and when the relationship shriveled and died, it would devastate her.

Bucky was a relatively young man, if you looked at it from a physical point of view and he was in his prime. It followed that someday he would want children. Her fingers traced the scars under her shirt, following a deep scar on her lower belly that was smaller than all the others, but much more important. It marked the cut that had changed her body irrevocably and destroyed the vision she'd once had of her life. Tears rose once again and she dashed them away angrily. Crying wouldn't help her now. Now that her mind had cleared from the panic that had settled over it, she felt humiliated. How would she ever face Bucky again after what she'd just done?

She owed him one heck of an explanation.

The door behind her opened and closed and Darcy jumped. Quickly she wiped her eyes and sat up, trying to act normal. Hopefully the intruder was going up, not down. Footsteps came down the stairs, crushing that hope.

"Darcy?" Jane's voice sounded from just behind her. "Are you okay?" the scientist demanded.

"I'm fine," Darcy said, her voice remarkably steady. The stuffed up nose ruined the effect though.

"You're a mess," her friend said as observant brown eyes ran up and down her, taking in the rumpled clothes and puffy eyes.

"Thanks, I love you too."

"That's not what I meant," Jane replied. She took a seat beside her intern on the step and wound her arms around Darcy's shoulders. "What happened?"

The question hung in the air between them while Darcy stared blankly into the distance. Reaching up to clasp Jane's hand where it rested on her shoulder Darcy began to talk. She told her about Tony finding out about her rape and kidnapping. She back tracked and filled Jane in on what had happened at Culver and then about meeting up with Bucky. Many of the details of that night were left unsaid but she gave Jane enough detail that the older woman blushed. When she'd filled her friend in on the events that had brought her to her present condition, Jane looked drained just from listening.

"Oh, honey," she said, hugging Darcy closer. "I'm so sorry."

"I can't tell him I love him," Darcy sighed leaning into Jane. "I won't be able to provide him with the life he wants long term. It's not fair to him."

"It's not fair to you," Jane declared fiercely.

"It doesn't matter," Darcy said softly.

"Just because you can't have children biologically doesn't mean you can't be a mother. It doesn't mean anything, certainly not to Bucky. He wants you, just you."

"He'll want a family," the brunette insisted to her boss. "Everyone wants a family."

Jane heard the fervor in her friend's voice and realized that this issue had nothing to do with Bucky. Darcy was projecting her attitude on to him and had decided that she knew best what he felt. The only thing she could do was try to get Darcy to talk to him so that she could find out for herself what Jane had just discovered.

"I know exactly what you should do," Jane announced. "Come on- I know exactly what you should do."

**~o~**

* * *

Bucky felt hollow. It was like there was nothing left in his heart that cared anymore. After SHEILD had released him from Hydra's mind control he'd thought that was the lowest a person could get. Fate apparently had proved him wrong. Worst of all, the only place he could go at this hour was back to his apartment and just thinking about the solitude that awaited him was enough to make him shudder. The elevator pulled to a stop on his floor much too soon.

He tossed his keys into the bowl in the foyer, peeled off his boots and deposited his gear bag in the closet. From there he went to the kitchen and dug out some leftovers for a late supper. He glanced at the clock and saw it was almost midnight. A midnight snack then, not a late supper. When he turned around from the fridge he noticed a sliver of light coming from his bedroom door. Had he left the lamp on? Scowling he set down the Tupperware and crossed to the bedroom. Bucky had planned to sleep on the couch tonight and totally avoid the space he'd shared with Darcy. Her scent still clung to the sheets and he knew he'd be sleeping with her ghost if he slept in that bed.

Bucky pushed the door open and was shocked by what he found. "Darcy?"

In his bed, wearing a red lace night gown was the woman who'd ran from him less than twenty-four hours ago. Was this a dream, he wondered?

"I'm sorry," Darcy said, proving that she wasn't just a figment of his imagination.

He stood there like an idiot, unable to move. Then anger kicked in. Where did she get off playing hot and cold with him, running away in the morning but coming back at night? Abruptly, his mind deciphered the hidden meaning behind her actions. It didn't matter what he wanted, she'd returned to her original plan: friends with benefits.

"Are you trying to mess with my head," Bucky demanded.

"No! I needed to talk to you!"

His eyes swept up and down her body. She was clad in a skimpy red night gown, sitting in the middle of his bed. Her behavior didn't exactly scream "let's talk." Darcy flushed, catching the insinuation.

"I knew you wouldn't throw me out of here dressed like this," she defended.

Bucky wanted to throw something when he realized that she was right. "What do you want to say to me?"

"I love you."

His heart stopped beating for a second. Just as quickly, it started back up.

"No. Damn it, you don't get to play games like this with me. I have no idea what you want, but I'm not doing it. I want all or nothing and you've made it incredibly clear that you don't want the same. I'll give you my coat, get out."

"No!" Darcy snapped, rising from the bed to stand in front of him. "You have to listen to me. I'm sorry that I had a meltdown this morning when you told me, but I wasn't prepared."

"Did you need to prepare yourself for me loving you? Was it that shocking?" Bucky sneered.

"I was scared!"

Numbness spread through Bucky's chest, blocking out the pain. "I was too," he said softly.

"I'm sorry," Darcy said again. "You deserve better. That's why I ran." She reached for the hem of her gown and lifted it to her waist, bearing her lower stomach. Involuntarily his eyes darted to the exposed skin before he forced himself to look away.

"If that's what you came here for," he began angrily.

"Don't flatter yourself," Darcy hissed, glaring up at him. "Look," she said pointing out a particular scar in the middle of her hips.

He looked and didn't see anything special about it. During their night in the hotel he'd explored every inch of her and the scar wasn't news to him.

"It caused a hemorrhage, and as a result I can't have children. That's why I ran. I love you, and I know that you love me but I can't take away your future. Someday you'll want a family. With me you can't have that, at least not the old-fashioned way."

"You thought this would change the way I feel," Bucky asked.

"It could for a lot of people. I needed you to know before you made a commitment," Darcy said. "I love you enough to let you walk away if this is a game changer for you."

Looking down into her guarded blue eyes, Bucky realized that she was telling the truth. This was a big deal for her, even if it meant nothing to him.

"I love you, Darcy," he said, wrapping his arms around her. "Not in spite of this, or because of it. I love you for you. You're brave and honest and you make me crazy. I love you."

"Thank goodness," Darcy breathed, squeezing her arms around him tightly. "If you'd backed out there would have been a breakdown to put this morning to shame. I love you too."

Bucky chuckled, then laughed, as euphoria set in. "Good. I'm glad, because it means you feel the same way I do."

"Are you going to kiss me yet?"

Never one to waste a good opportunity, Bucky lowered his head and took her mouth. He reveled in the taste of her, the sweetness and warmth that came from their kiss. After a long hard road to get here, everything was finally perfect.

* * *

**THE END**


End file.
